Timberwolves agree to deal with Nuggets' Tim Connelly

Tim Connelly has built a solid roster and a respected front office in Denver, where the Nuggets have reached the playoffs the last 4 seasons.

Tim Connelly is leaving his job as president of basketball operations of the Denver Nuggets for a similar role with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team announced on Monday.

It's official.

Tim Connelly has been named our President of Basketball Operations! » https://t.co/UQLqbQAYCu pic.twitter.com/rO5UH5bL0a

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 23, 2022

Connelly steadily built the Nuggets into a perennial playoff contender through Draft picks that included two-time reigning Kia MVP Nikola Jokic, point guard Jamal Murray and forward Michael Porter Jr.

Connelly’s decision to switch teams inside the Western Conference’s Northwest Division was first reported by The Athletic and ESPN. The deal is reportedly for five years and worth more than $40 million. It also includes ownership equity.

ESPN story on the Minnesota Timberwolves landing Denver's Tim Connelly to run basketball operations: https://t.co/7T6mJWf7OA

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 23, 2022

Full story on the landmark hiring of Tim Connelly by the Timberwolves and their ownership group that includes Glen Taylor, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez — with @JonKrawczynski at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/PW15lEFOJH

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 23, 2022

Connelly will oversee a Timberwolves team led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves are coming off a 46-win season and their first playoff appearance since 2018. Minnesota defeated the LA Clippers in a Play-In Tournament thriller to clinch a berth. They then took the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies to six games before being eliminated.

In 2013, Connelly stepped in for Masai Ujiri when Ujiri left for the Toronto Raptors. The Nuggets won 48 games this season despite missing Murray (knee) for the entire season and Porter Jr. (back) for all but nine games.

Minnesota shook up its front office right before training camp began last fall when the team fired Gersson Rosas in response to mounting tension around him in the building. Sachin Gupta was promoted to be president of basketball operations in Rosas’ place, with the caveat that the position would be evaluated again this summer.

Gupta was well-regarded within the organization for his humble, steady leadership, notably from coach Chris Finch. The franchise is currently in an ownership transition, with Glen Taylor in the process of handing over control to co-buyers Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a sale that’s scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.

With Connelly leaving, the Nuggets could give more responsibility to general manager Calvin Booth. One of Denver’s top priorities this summer is signing Jokic to a super-max deal.

Sources: Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth is now expected to assume lead basketball operations role for the franchise. There is significant belief in Booth inside the organization, and the former NBA veteran is well-respected as a rising executive across league.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 23, 2022

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.