Timberwolves sign former NCAA champion to contract
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are still trying to find their footing after the Karl-Anthony Towns to New York Knicks trade that shocked the NBA world. The Wolves are currently 17-17 and in tenth place in the Western Conference standings. Perhaps looking to add quality depth, the Timberwolves made a recent roster move with the signing of a former NCAA champion to a two-way contract.
The Timberwolves announced the signing of Tristen Newton to a two-way contract as their lastest roster move this past week. In a related move, the Wolves waived Dashien Nix. Since the team had all three of their two-way contract slots filled, they need to cut someone to make room for Newton. Nix had spent last season with the Wolves after beginning his NBA career with the Houston Rockets.
Newton joins Jaylen Clark and Jesse Edwards as the team's three two-way contracts. As part of the NBA's new CBA, teams were allowed an additional two-way contract roster spot, up from the previous maximum of two.
Newton, who was the Most Outstanding Player on the 2024 UConn Huskies national championship team, will spend most of his live game reps in the G League with the Iowa Wolves.
Timberwolves add Tristen Newton to roster
Newton joins the Timberwolves having began the 2024-25 season with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers had selected Newton with the No. 49 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and had signed him to a two-way contract.
As a rookie, Newton appeared in a total of five games for the Pacers. His best game statistically came on Nov. 22 against the Milwaukee Bucks when he scored three points on 1-of-2 shooting and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line in two minutes.
On a two-way contract, Newton already has live game experience playing for the Indiana Mad Ants. During the showcase cup portion of the G League season, Newton played ten games and averaged 17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals. He shot 42.4 percent from the field, 42 percent from the three-point line and 68.8 percent from the free-throw line.
Newton had then played in four games of the regular season portion of the G League for the Mad Ants. During that stretch, he averaged 14.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 35.7 percent shooting from the field, 33.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 71.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
A talented scorer, Newton also possesses strong playmaking abilities. He is a young player with potential that the Wolves can develop into a solid rotation player.
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