Isaiah Evans’ first Summer League game for the Minnesota Timberwolves looked every bit like what it was: a debut thrown together after a delayed arrival and almost no time to get his feet under him.
The former Duke standout finally got onto the floor Saturday in Las Vegas after missing Minnesota’s opener because the trade that brought the Wolves the pick used to select him in the second round was not finalized until Friday. The holdup came down to Mo Gueye, who was not technically trade-eligible until 90 days after he signed his contract. That delay kept Evans out of Thursday’s game and, just as importantly, kept him from practicing with the team until Friday.
So when he stepped into a 101-82 loss to the Nuggets, the rough edges were no mystery. Evans scored four points in 26 minutes and shot 2-of-15 from the field. He missed all nine of his three-point attempts and finished at minus-27, the worst mark on the team.
Still, the night wasn’t a complete wash.
Evans’ defense held up well throughout the game, and that may wind up mattering more than the box score from his first professional outing. His offensive talent hasn’t been the real question.
A bad shooting night is a bad shooting night, even for a player with his reputation. The bigger issue has been whether his thin frame could handle the physical demands on the defensive end.
In his first game action, he answered that part better than expected.
There should be more coming from him soon. Evans is expected to keep working, and the added practice time and live reps should help him settle in before Minnesota’s next game. It was never realistic to expect much brilliance after he had been sidelined through no fault of his own.
The Timberwolves are back Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. The game is set for 11pm ET on ESPN2.
In Other News...
Isaiah Evans Just Took A Big Step In His NBA Path
Isaiah Evans has taken a meaningful next step in his NBA career, landing a four-year rookie contract after getting picked in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. For a former Duke wing who spent two seasons in Durham, the deal gives him a real foothold at the next level and reflects the kind of patience teams often show with players whose value can outgrow where they were drafted.
The contract comes with three fully guaranteed seasons and a team option for the fourth, a structure that gives Evans security while leaving room for him to keep proving himself. Some draft analysts had viewed him as a late first-round possibility before he slid into the early second, so the path to this point has already carried a little extra edge, and now the focus shifts to how he turns that opportunity into a lasting NBA role. [Read more 🡒]
Duke May Have The In-House Answer To Its Biggest Passing Question
Manny Diaz enters his third season at Duke with the program riding the momentum of last years ACC championship, but the Blue Devils still have some offensive reshuffling to sort through after losing key pieces and bringing in transfers to help replace them. Even with the roster turnover, Duke did a good job of keeping important talent on both sides of the ball, which gives the staff a chance to look inward for one of its more intriguing answers at receiver.
One of the names worth watching is Jayden Moore, a redshirt sophomore who is expected to take on a much bigger role this fall. Moore has the kind of profile that can quietly matter in a passing game, and Duke may be setting him up for a real opportunity on the outside as it tries to find the right mix around its returning pieces. [Read more 🡒]