Getty T.J. Warren
Former 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. The Timberwolves announced via their Public Relations team’s official X account that they have signed Warren to a 10-day contract.
The Timberwolves’ X account also noted Warren’s presence during practice on March 6.
what’s up, T.J.👋
The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported Warren joining the Timberwolves on March 2 via his X account. Charania noted Warren’s reputation as a scorer as the reason the Timberwolves wanted him.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are planning to sign free agent F TJ Warren on a 10-day contract, pending physical exam early this week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Minnesota has monitored the 8-year NBA vet throughout the season. Warren is a career 15 points per game scorer.
Warren played for the Suns from 2014 to 2018. The Suns re-acquired him when they traded for Kevin Durant in 2023. Warren had remained a free agent until the Timberwolves brought him in. Warren missed nearly two seasons due to stress fractures in his left foot, which got in the way of his prime as a scorer.
Warren did not put up the same number with the Nets and the Suns during the 2022-23 season that he did earlier in his career but he wasn’t bad. He averaged 7.5 points a game while shooting nearly 49% from the field, per Basketball-Reference.
The Timberwolves have the NBA’s 18th-highest offensive rating, averaging 114.6 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. If Warren still resembles the player he once was, he could help a lot in the scoring department. The Suns and the Timberwolves have the same aspirations this season, so it’s very possible these two teams will face off in the playoffs.
TJ Warren Says He’s Completely Healthy
Before joining the Timberwolves, TJ Warren told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto that he had a clean bill of health. So much so that Warren believes he’s as good as he was back when he played in the bubble in 2020.
“I’m 100 percent healthy now,” Warren told Scotto in a November 24 story. “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.”
Warren added that he understands why his injury history turns off teams, but he promised that it won’t be a problem.
“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.”
Now, Warren can put his money where his mouth is, but until further notice, that may not be for 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 T.J. 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 multiple open roster spots.”
Celtics meeting with two free agent forwards in Boston this week for a potential wing addition, sources say:
It didn’t work out for Warren then, but now he’s gotten his chance.