Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Minnesota Timberwolves have signed veteran forward TJ Warren to a 10-day contract. Warren last played 42 combined games for the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns during the 2022-23 season. In those games, the forward averaged 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Warren is perhaps best known for his 53-point performance in the 2020 NBA bubble.
Warren has had injury problems in recent history, including missing the entire 2021-22 season, but according to the man himself, he is “100% healthy“:
I’m 100 percent healthy now. The foot injuries were a part of my career during those two years. I feel like I was reaching a crazy pinnacle right around the bubble. It was a great situation. Unfortunately, I had the injuries, and it set me back a little bit. I want to go out there and prove myself like I always have my whole career, being kind of under the radar. I feel like my production speaks for itself. I understand the concerns because two years was a long time, especially when you don’t know the situation thoroughly, but I’m completely healthy now and looking forward to the opportunity to prove myself again.
The 42-18 Timberwolves are just 0.5 games ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No.1 seed in the Western Conference. Minnesota hopes that Warren can help give them a late-season push ahead of the playoffs.
NBA News: Minnesota Timberwolves Sign NBA Veteran
What TJ Warren Brings to the Minnesota Timberwolves
The 30-year-old brings an equal amount off the court as he does on the court. In November, Warren talked about what he can offer to NBA teams:
I think I can provide experience, a crazy work ethic, and be somebody that comes in and goes hard at all levels. I can connect with the young guys and be a veteran presence. This will be my 10th season, so I’ve been around for a while. I feel like I’m a lead-by-example type of guy.
Additionally, Warren will immediately provide bench scoring for the Timberwolves. Warren is a career 14.6-point-per-game scorer and has largely assumed a bench role since the bubble. Furthermore, Warren is a career 50.6% shooter from the field, including 35.4% from beyond the arc. Warren’s offensive versatility off the bench should boost Minnesota’s second unit greatly.
At 6’8″, Warren is capable of playing both forward positions well. Though he is not an elite defender, Warren can hold his own. Regardless, the Timberwolves currently lead the NBA with a 108 Defensive Rating. Even if he can help, Warren’s defensive game will not matter too much on the team.
The Last Word
We have not seen Warren on the court in almost a year. Still, he looked effective when active. Signing a 10-day deal with a title contender is a good, prove-it deal for Warren. It remains to be seen how much Warren will play on this contract. Even so, if he can play well in his new opportunity, Warren may have a new home in the league.
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