The Timberwolves have added shooting guard Tristen Newton off waivers, claiming him after his release from the Pacers, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
To make room for Newton, the Timberwolves have waived guard Daishen Nix, whose time with the team has been limited this season.
Newton, a 49th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of UConn, had been with the Pacers since July on a two-way contract. However, his brief stint in Indiana was underwhelming, with the rookie playing just eight minutes over five appearances for the Pacers this season.
Newton had asked the Pacers to release him before he was waived on Wednesday, as relayed by Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
While his time in Indiana was limited, Newton has shown promise in the G League, playing for the Pacers’ affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants.
In 14 games, Newton averaged 16.4 points, 6.7 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, posting shooting splits of .401 from the field, .396 from three, and .692 from the free-throw line.
Now, as he joins the Timberwolves, Newton will remain on his two-way contract, meaning he is eligible to spend up to 45 days with the NBA team.
The Timberwolves hold his NBA rights, and if they see fit, they can convert him to the full roster later in the season or potentially negotiate a standard deal for him. If Newton spends the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign on his two-way deal, he will be a restricted free agent come July.
As for Nix, the Timberwolves are parting ways with the guard after a brief and somewhat unremarkable tenure in Minnesota.
Nix, who’s in the final year of his two-way eligibility, has been with the Rockets and Timberwolves over the past four seasons. His role with Minnesota this year has been minimal, appearing in just three games.
Like Newton, Nix has spent most of his time in the G League, where he averaged 22.1 points, 7.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 steals in 10 games. Nix had also missed some time recently due to an ankle sprain.
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