Timberwolves at Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies handed out three max contracts over the last two summers and are hoping all that money leads to more than just another early playoff exit in the spring. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who visit the Grizzlies in the season opener on Wednesday, made their biggest move of the season off the court by hiring defensive-minded coach Tom Thibodeau to work with their talented young roster.
Memphis handed out the largest contract in NBA history - five years, $153 million - to point guard Mike Conley and gave Chandler Parsons a four-year, $94 million max deal over the summer to add to Marc Gasol's five-year, $110 million deal signed the previous summer. Conley, who will join Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan as the only players in league history to earn $30 million per season during the deal, has never made an All-Star team and averaged 15.3 points and 6.1 assists in an injury-marred 2015-16 campaign. The Timberwolves already believed they had the players in place with No. 1 overall picks Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns joined by Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine and Gorgui Dieng, they just needed the right coach. Thibodeau went 255-139 in five seasons with the Chicago Bulls and will be charged with improving a defense that allowed opponents an average of 106 points on 47.1 percent shooting last season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (2015-16: 29-53): Minnesota has not made the playoffs since 2003-04 and has not posted a winning record since the 2004-05 campaign but is excited about 2016-17. "We made a lot of great strides this offseason," Towns told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. "We all worked tremendously hard to not only improve ourselves, but to improve the team. So, we did great things that we needed to do to help us win as a whole. And I think that with the additions that we’ve made to the team, I think that we’re on a very good track right now." The Timberwolves' latest high draft pick was spent on Providence point guard Kris Dunn, who should find his way into Thibodeau's rotation due to his strong defensive resume.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (2015-16: 42-40): Memphis brought in a new coach as well in David Fizdale, who is tasked with coaxing more offense out of a traditionally defense-first team. The Grizzlies went into a tailspin when Gasol went down with a foot injury and got a scare when he limped off the court during a preseason game, but he will be in the lineup on Wednesday after receiving treatment for a bone bruise in that same foot. Parsons is coming off his second right knee surgery in two years and is practicing with the team but won't play in the opener.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Grizzlies took three of the last five meetings, though the Timberwolves secured a 114-108 win at Memphis in the last matchup on March 16.
2. Minnesota C Nikola Pekovic (Achilles, ankle) is out for the season.
3. Memphis G Tony Allen (knee) could be limited in the opener.