The Top Timberwolves Insider Keeps Name-Dropping Quentin Grimes

Was trading Julius Randle and re-signing Ayo Dosunmu the only big moves Tim Connelly and the Timberwolves are going to make?

"The Wolves created a lot more flexibility to make other moves," Wolves beat reporter Jon Krawczynski told Chad Hartman on WCCO Radio on Tuesday afternoon. "We will see just what happens as step two, step three, step four down this line. This was literally just step one."

Okay, so what might be next? While a Rudy Gobert trade seems less likely at this stage, there could be some fireworks during Tuesday night's NBA Draft. Minnesota has the 33rd and 59th overall picks in the second round on Wednesday night, but Krawczynski won't be stunned if Connelly sneaks his way into the first round.

"It would not shock me if, when the 20th pick comes around, that the Wolves somehow find a way to get there and get someone they like. I think it's unlikely, but I'm not ruling it out in any stretch of the imagination," Krawczynski told Hartman.

Notably, the Wolves had Alabama point guard Labaron Philon in for a workout last week. Philon is expected to be selected within the first 20 picks, so Connelly might be working on finding a way to move up in the draft. Of course, those chances seemed a bit more likely before they traded No. 28 and Randle to the Nets for dump salary and secured the No. 33 pick. But you can also look at it and suggest that 33 is more valuable than 28 because the talent doesn't drop off much, and second-round picks can negotiate without the first-round rookie scale, making contracts rigid.

Meanwhile, Krawczynski, usually doesn't name-drop players without knowing something. That's why it's so interesting that he named pending 76ers free agent Quentin Grimes in two radio interviews on Tuesday.

"They can add another quality rotation player to this team because they made that deal, and they were able to bring back Ayo Dosunmu as well," Krawczynski told Hartman. "When the dust settles, they bring in a Quentin Grimes, they bring in someone who's a good shooter, a good ball-handler that can really help them and round out their depth a little bit, then I think you'll feel certainly better about it. But it's sort of a wait-and-see mode right now in terms of what's going to happen next."

Just hours earlier, Krawczynski named Grimes during an interview with KFAN radio's Paul Allen.

"Essentially, it means they have another $15 million to spend on the open market. You can go get a guy like Quentin Grimes," Krawczynski said. "You can go get any number of players out there who would kind of slot into that $15 million range, and can be a real rotational player for you."

Grimes averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while playing 29.4 minutes per game this season. But those are just a glimpse of what he's capable of if asked to play a larger role, which won't necessarily be the case in Minnesota.

In 2024-25, when he started 25 of 28 games after being traded from Dallas to Philadelphia, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 37.3% from three-point range. That included a 19-game stretch in March to mid-April in which he averaged roughly 26 points, five boards, and five assists while shooting 48% overall, including 40% from deep.

Krawczynski also mentioned Nuggets pending swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. in both interviews. Another name he touted was Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., who is entering the final year of his contract in Memphis. Pippen is noteworthy because Krawczynski also wrote about Pippen in a recent piece for The Athletic.

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