Minnesota

Towns, Wolves agree to 4-year, $224M supermax

Published

3 years ago

July 1, 2022

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Towns, Wolves agree to 4-year, 4M supermax

12:11 AM ET

Tim BontempsESPN

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Cities has agreed on a four-year, $224 million supermax extension, his agent, Jessica Holtz of CAA Basketball informed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Cities’ complete contract worth to 6 years and $295 million.

Cities, 26, the No. 1 general choose by Minnesota in 2015, has turn into one of many league’s most dominant offensive huge males throughout his eight years in Minnesota. He averaged 24.2 factors and 9.6 rebounds per sport this previous season whereas taking pictures over 50% from the sector, 40% from 3-point vary and 80% from the foul line.

That, coupled with Minnesota making the playoffs for the second time in Cities’ NBA profession, helped the 6-foot-11 huge man earn an All-NBA third-team choice, which made him eligible to safe this supermax extension.

The choice to increase Cities turned a public present of help to the group’s star from its new president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, whom Minnesota employed away from the Denver Nuggets final month.

Now that Cities is within the fold till 2028, Connelly and coach Chris Finch can proceed to assemble the roster across the group’s two younger tentpole stars: Cities and second-year guard Anthony Edwards.

Their mixed progress this season helped energy Minnesota to the seventh seed within the West and a first-round matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies after the group’s victory in a play-in sport versus the LA Clippers. The Timberwolves misplaced to Memphis in a hard-fought six-game collection.

Now, Minnesota heads into this free-agency interval with actual momentum behind it due to the presence of Cities and Edwards on the roster, Connelly as the brand new head of basketball operations, and new house owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, because the Timberwolves proceed to flesh out what the following model of their group seems to be like.

Up to now this offseason, Minnesota has agreed to a two-year, $16 million extension with ahead Taurean Prince, holding him with the Timberwolves transferring ahead. In addition they have agreed to a two-year, $18 million take care of small ahead Kyle Anderson, his brokers Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of Wasserman Basketball informed Wojnarowski.

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Minnesota task force recommends decriminalization of magic mushrooms

Published

3 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Minnesota task force recommends decriminalization of magic mushrooms

MINNEAPOLIS — A task force is recommending the decriminalization of magic mushrooms.

A nearly 200-page report from the Minnesota Psychedelic Medicine Task Force said psilocybin mushrooms show evidence they may improve mental health.

Logan Fleischman co-owns Wonderland Mushroom Dispensary in St. Paul, a shop specializing in mushroom-infused gummies and drinks that tout supposed real-life health benefits.

“We’re not saying that this certainly will give you energy or will give you focus, but for some people, it does help,” Fleischman said.

Fleischman does not sell “magic mushrooms,” also known as psilocybin mushrooms, that cause hallucinations and are still illegal.
However, news of a state task force report that lays out potential health benefits, gives Fleischman hope.

“Really helping combat things like depression, anxiety, PTSD,” Fleischman said.

By a two-thirds supermajority, members of the Psychedelic Medicine Task Force are recommending the Minnesota Legislature create a state-regulated clinical program for the therapeutic administration of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, while removing criminal penalties for their use, and allocating for more funding for research on psychedelics, like psilocybin mushrooms.

The task force also looked at a clinical program for synthetic drugs like MDMA and LSD, but that didn’t garner enough support. There also was not enough support for a recreational market for magic mushrooms.

“The report itself is meant to be a long-term resource for the state,” said Jessica Nielson, chair of the task force. “We do need someone in the legislature to actually introduce the bill and move it through the system.”

Minnesota Sen. Mark Koran, R-North Branch, a member of the task force, is optimistic.

“If we can get a true environment to have some research done and find an effective way to administer it, and we have the resources to do it here, then I would be all for moving it forward,” Koran said.

Jason Rantala

Jason Rantala joined WCCO as a reporter in June 2023. He’s a Minnesota native and is thrilled to be telling the stories of those in his hometown.

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Minnesota

Ohio State vs. Minnesota Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Monday, January 6th

Published

10 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Ohio State vs. Minnesota Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Monday, January 6th

Ohio State will look for some Big Ten consistency on the road against Minnesota.

The Golden Gophers are struggling to keep up with high-end competition, yet to beat a top 80 team in the country thus far. Can the team score a home upset against Ohio State? The Buckeyes have yet to win a true road game but are laying a handful of points on the road on Monday night.

Here’s our best bet for this one.

Spread

Moneyline

Total: 136.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Ohio State

Bruce Thornton: Enjoying a career-best year, Thornton is up to nearly 17 points per game while shooting 54% from the field and 44% from three. The veteran guard will be tasked with guiding the Buckeyes to a road win as the team looks to keep its three-point shooting at a high.

Minnesota

Dawson Garcia: The senior is averaging 19 points per game with seven rebounds while also showcasing improved playmaking with two assists per game. The Gophers are struggling to find consistency on offense, but a lot of it is coming from the 6’11” senior.

Ohio State continues to be an overvalued commodity after a strong start to the season. The team is ripe for regression, including three percent overall with a massive drop-off expected from beyond the arc (four percent), per ShotQuality.

The team will face a Minnesota team that grades out as a better defense according to shot quality and does a great job of contesting perimeter shots, which is a key to Ohio State’s offense. The Gophers are 38th in the country in three-point rate allowed, which can slow down Ohio State’s offense that ranks top 30 in three-point percentage.

The Gophers play at a prodding pace, bottom 10 in the country in adjusted tempo, and Ohio State’s defense continues to be overvalued due to poor shot-making marks, ranking 14th in effective field goal percentage. However, the team is outside of the top half of the country in turnover percentage, defensive rebounding rate, and opponent free throw rate.

In a low possession battle, give me the home underdog to keep this close.

PICK: Minnesota +5.5

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Minnesota

Big Plays by Vikings Defense Early Not Enough in Detroit

Published

18 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Big Plays by Vikings Defense Early Not Enough in Detroit

Detroit’s next series was upended by another turnover of sorts, this time a stop on fourth-and-1 that was caused by Jonathan Bullard tipping Goff’s pass at the line of scrimmage. It returned the ball to Minnesota with three-and-a-half minutes left in the first half – and a prime opportunity to double-dip.

But they botched that chance, too, tasking Reichard with another field goal after fading at Detroit’s 13.

“This game could look differently in the end, very easily, with one or two more plays down in the red zone, being successful, and the way that works with momentum, and the way that works for the energy of your whole team. I thought the guys fought. I thought they battled,” Kevin O’Connell said. “They answered the bell, in that first half, turning the football over, giving us ops, getting stops. … We were going to go down there and try to get seven points, and we just didn’t do it. And you’re not going to beat a team like that, regardless of some of the other metrics in the game, when the weighty downs kind of go the way it did, and weighty as they get. They don’t get more weighty than scoring plays.”

Minnesota’s inability to capitalize offensively lingered in the third quarter, when Smith plucked an overthrown ball for Williams out of mid-air. Again, Reichard kicked a field goal.

To understand how well Minnesota’s defense played early look at the difference in second-quarter performance – a good indicator being it has been the most productive frame for the Lions this season in terms of yards (120.9) and points (10-plus) – Sunday and Week 7: The Vikings yielded 65 yards on 18 plays (3.6 avg.), and just three points, versus 202 yards on 17 plays (11.9 avg.) and 21 points in October.

Eventually, however, Gibbs stole the show.

The second-year phenom compiled 170 scrimmage yards and scored all four of Detroit’s touchdowns. He did it via a blend of untouchable speed, uncanny vision between the tackles and a serious finishing burst.

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