Isaiah Evans’ first run in a Minnesota Timberwolves uniform is on hold, and the reason has nothing to do with his game.
The former Duke standout sat out Thursday night’s Las Vegas Summer League opener against the New Orleans Pelicans because the trade that sent Minnesota the pick used to draft him in the second round still hasn’t been finalized. Until that paperwork is complete, Evans isn’t eligible to suit up.
What makes the delay especially frustrating is that the deal is tied to a larger four-team transaction involving Brooklyn, Chicago, Minnesota and Charlotte. That package included the blockbuster Lamelo Ball deal, but it remains unfinished because of Mouhamadou Gueye. Per Yossi Gozlan, Gueye couldn’t officially be included until July 9, three months after he signed his contract.
That timing mattered. The trade was technically eligible to go through on Thursday, but it didn’t happen, and Evans stayed on the sideline.
There is still hope the situation gets cleared up in time for Minnesota’s next Summer League game, which comes Saturday against the Denver Nuggets. If the trade is finalized by then, Evans should finally be able to make his debut.
The whole episode is another reminder of how clunky the NBA’s trade rules can be. They create those awkward draft-night moments where players pose in hats for teams they’ll never actually play for. Evans would have been in that same spot if he had remained in the green room, since he was technically picked by the Brooklyn Nets even though everyone understood the selection was headed to Minnesota.
For now, though, the wait continues. Fans miss out on their first look at Evans as a pro, and Evans loses valuable court time as he tries to build toward a role with the Wolves as a rookie.
After sliding into the second round, he has plenty of motivation to get on the floor and start proving people wrong. But until the trade is official, he’s stuck watching instead of playing.
In Other News...
NBA Legend Just Singled Out A Former Duke Star For Praise
Jabari Parkers name still carries real weight when one of the NBAs biggest stars starts reflecting on the people who shaped him. In a farewell video after being traded to the Miami Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo singled out the former Duke standout and said Parker pushed him to work harder early in his career, a reminder of how quickly Parker went from college phenom to a player other pros still remember for the standard he set.
For Duke fans, it is a familiar kind of what-could-have-been conversation, because Parkers lone season in Durham was enough to make him one of the most talked-about players in the country. His NBA path never matched that early promise, with injuries taking a heavy toll, but praise like this shows the respect for his game never really went away. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Answer At Quarterback Is Finally Starting To Take Shape
After a spring and summer of uncertainty at the most important position on the field, Dukes quarterback picture is finally starting to come into focus. The Blue Devils had to reset after Darian Mensah transferred to Miami following the fallout from his multiyear NIL deal and the lawsuit that was later settled out of court, leaving the staff to search for a new answer as the 2026 season approached.
A graduate transfer from San Jose State has now emerged as the projected starter, and he was granted a waiver this offseason to be eligible next year. Even with that move giving Duke a clearer path at quarterback, the job still has to be sorted out on the field, with Dan Mahan, Ari Patu and Terry Walker III among the players who could push for the role once competition begins. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Was Courtside For A Massive Duke Recruiting Check-In
Jon Scheyer and assistant Emanuel Dildy were courtside at a Nike EYBL game that doubled as a useful recruiting check-in, with 2027 Duke commit Kager Knueppel and another high-priority target, Beckham Black, facing off in a one-point game. Team Herro edged AB Elite 52-51, giving the Blue Devils staff a live look at two prospects who sit near the center of Dukes early 2027 board, along with a chance to track how Knueppel continues to fit into the programs long-term plan.
Black, one of the fastest-rising names in the class, has already drawn a recent Duke offer and arrived with the kind of family basketball background that tends to keep bluebloods paying attention. Knueppels outing was quieter than usual, but the bigger takeaway for Duke was simply being in the building for a matchup that also fit into a wider 2027 search, with Adan Diggs and Lewis Uvwo among the other names on the staffs radar. [Read more 🡒]