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TJ Warren
Ancient Phoenix Suns veteran TJ Warren has found a new home. Warren will not return to the Suns, but he will play for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Timberwolves announced via the official X account of their PR team that they signed Warren to a 10-day contract.
THE Timberwolves X-Count also noted Warren’s presence during the March 6 practice.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported that Warren joined the Timberwolves on March 2. via his X account. Charania noted Warren’s reputation as a scorer as the reason the Timberwolves wanted him.
Warren played for the Suns from 2014 to 2018. The Suns acquired him when they traded for Kevin Durant in 2023. Warren had remained a free agent until the Timberwolves drafted him. Warren missed nearly two seasons due to stress fractures in the left footwhich hindered him in his peak as a goalscorer.
Warren didn’t post the same numbers with the Nets and Suns during the 2022-23 season as he did earlier in his career, but he wasn’t bad. He averaged 7.5 points per game while shooting nearly 49% from the field, by basketball reference.
The Timberwolves have the 18th highest offensive rating in the NBA, averaging 114.6 points per 100 possessions, by NBA.com. If Warren still looks like the player he once was, he could help a lot in the scoring department. The Suns and Timberwolves have the same aspirations this season, so it is very possible that these two teams will face each other in the playoffs.
TJ Warren says he’s perfectly healthy
Before joining the Timberwolves, TJ Warren told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that he was in good health. So much so that Warren thinks he’s as good as he was when he played in the bubble in 2020.
“I’m 100 percent healthy now,” Warren told Scotto. in a story from November 24. “Foot injuries have been a part of my career for these two years. I feel like I’m hitting a crazy high right around the bubble. It was a great situation. Unfortunately, I had some injuries and that set me back a bit. I want to go out there and prove myself like I’ve always had my whole career, being a little bit under the radar.
Warren added that he understands why his injury history discourages teams, but he promised it won’t be a problem.
“I feel like my production speaks for itself. I understand the concerns because two years is a long time, especially when you don’t know the situation well, but I am now completely healthy and looking forward to having the opportunity to prove myself again.
Now Warren can put his money where his mouth is, but until further notice, that may not last very long.
TJ Warren worked out for Celtics: report
TJ Warren had been trying to keep his NBA hopes alive for quite some time. During the 2023 NBA offseason, Charania reported that Warren worked out for the Celtics.
“The Boston Celtics are meeting with free agent forward TJ Warren and Lamar Stevens in Boston this week,” Charania said. via his X account on August 22. “Both players will undergo workouts and are being considered for a potential deal with the Celtics, who still have several spots open.”
It didn’t work out for Warren at the time, but now he’s had his chance.
Matt John covers the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns for Heavy.com. A Massachusetts native, he has covered the NBA since 2018, with stops at FanSided, Basketball News and Basketball Insiders. Learn more about Matt John
