Timberwolves’ mission for last 29 games: Mesh

Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders is quick to note that Minnesota acquired nine new players at the trade deadline.

Then he adds the three players currently with the team — Jaylen Nowell, Jordan McLaughlin and Naz Reid — who've bounced back and forth between Iowa and Minnesota this season.

That's 12 "new" players. It will take some time for those players to adjust to a new system and one another, the Wolves warn.

"We just want guys to not feel the pressure of, 'Hey, everything needs to be perfect tomorrow,' " Saunders said. "But take things day by day."

Saunders said the Wolves are trying to simplify things at the moment.

"We're going to have to make sure that we grow and we don't say, 'Hey we'll be better when we mature. We'll be better in the summertime when you can focus on just development,' " Saunders said. "We need to use all the time right now."

Not all of the players are convinced this will be some long-term process. The team's resounding win over the Clippers immediately following the trade deadline suggested it could be smooth sailing. But the home loss before the All-Star break to Charlotte proved otherwise.

But Juancho Hernangomez pointed to the Wolves' young talent as reason for why the transition process should be quick and painless. Malik Beasley said things are coming together "faster than we thought."

"But we just had All-Star break, so we gotta reconnect and things like that," he said. "We're already in here in the gym ready to go, ready to get better and ready to end the season of strong."

LAYMAN PRACTICES

Jake Layman was cleared to return to practice Thursday. Layman, whom the Wolves signed to a three-year deal last offseason, has been out since mid-November with a torn ligament in his big toe.

Layman has missed Minnesota's last 39 games. He admitted the injury was "frustrating" for a couple days, but Minnesota's staff was up front with him about how long the recovery process was going to be. He had to wait for the ligament to heal before he resumed any on-court activities.

"I realized I can't just sulk about it," he said. "I have to make the best of my situation, and I just listened to what the trainers said. I did all my rehab and did all my workouts and I think I'm back sooner than some people thought I would be."

That's not to say Layman is all the way back. He's not expected to play in the next couple games. The Wolves said Layman will be re-evaluated in a week as he attempts to work back into game shape.

"It was hard to replicate game speed," Layman said. "Practice will be great today, but that's definitely one thing. The toe feels great. It's just that conditioning part that I need to get back."

TOWNS UPDATE

Saunders said Minnesota is still gathering information about Karl-Anthony Towns' injured wrist. Towns was expected to have more tests done Thursday or Friday.

"We're obviously still looking, getting opinions that are out there," Saunders said. "You want to make the best decisions possible for himself, and also for the organization. We'll give an update when we gather all that information."

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