Austin Rivers Joining the Timberwolves on a 1-Year Deal

Austin Rivers with New Orleans in 2013
Austin Rivers with Pelicans in 2013. Image by Verse Photography/ Wikipedia

Veteran guard Austin Rivers is set to play on his sixth different team in as many seasons. According to his agency CAA Sports, Rivers will suit up for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022-23 after agreeing to a one-year deal with the franchise.

Rivers spent the past season with the Denver Nuggets, where he played 67 games and averaged 6.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. In Minnesota, he will reunite with Tim Connelly, who was a longtime Nuggets president of baseball operations before accepting the same position with the Timberwolves back in May.

While Rivers’ career seems to be on the downward trajectory in recent years, he should be a quality depth piece for Minnesota’s backcourt. He should help fill the hole left by the departure of Malik Beasley and Patrick Beverley, who were sent to the Utah Jazz as part of the Rudy Gobert trade.

Austin Rivers was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. After being slow to adapt to the NBA, the Duke prospect was sent to Los Angeles Clippers, who were coached by his father, Doc Rivers. While in LA, Rivers Jr. played his best basketball and posted career numbers that included averaging 15.1 points and 4.0 assists in 2017–18.

Rivers left LA immediately after his big year and was somewhat of an NBA journeyman since, suiting up for the Washington Wizards, the New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets, and the Nuggets. 

Jasmin can write about almost everything expect about himself. All you need to know is that he likes music, Nutella stuffed pancakes and sleeping till noon on Sundays.