A collection of Timberwolves rumors

After a fairly interesting offseason in last season that saw the Timberwolves really try to put together a solid roster that could make a deep post season run. Now, most fans were pretty excited that the team is actually relevant again, and a young core has them thinking about what may come. One person who doesn't share that sentiment is Tom Thibadeau. The playoffs are not enough! And what of that young core?

Windhorst indicated that Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns could be the newest subject of trade rumors, alluding to tension within the organization.

- Mass Live

Minnesota Timberwolves interested in Derrick Rose return at expense of younger players

- Fansided

The front office may consider an Andrew Wiggins trade if the Wolves can find a better fit in return. The team needs to quickly take steps to become a serious contender with Jimmy Butler entering his option year, Krawczynski states, and dealing Wiggins or Gorgui Dieng might be necessary to make that happen.

- Hoops Rumors

In the world of Minnesota teams disappointing it's fans, it sounds like the Timberwolves are going to set out to break some sort of record.

(The last two of the linked articles source Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic)

An interesting side effect of gambling’s legality

I was listening to SBNation radio yesterday morning, and I was confronted with an interesting fact. Gamblers account for only 25% of the NFL’s audience, but they account for 50% of the minutes watched on an NFL season, and they watch, on average, 19 more games a year than the regular fan, which means they are consuming those Thursdays and Monday’s as well as three games on Sundays more often than not.

Some sports, notably the NBA, are working to get some juice from legalized gambling, requesting 1% off the top from sportsbooks. In truth, leagues might make more money off gambling without taking money from books, simply because interest will be so much greater.

If the increased number of eyes on the games translates to better ratings and bigger TV contracts. As people have  drifted away from traditional cable, many have worried about a TV bubble for sports TV contracts, but those have all but been vanquished. If anything else, there should be more money to distribute in the lower levels of professional sports, especially where those minor leagues supplant college athletics, such as in baseball.

In the UK, where gambling has been legal for sometime, sponsorships are given to leagues, teams and competitions. With gambling available in the US, it may actually subsidize things like relegation in MLS, if only because gambling sites want more things to gamble on. 

Back before  sports became professional, and before they became  high money businesses, the worry was that sports would be corrupted by gambling. Now, decades later we know that sports have already been corrupted – by money. Gambling will only provide more money to investors, and it’s going to be embraced, as opposed to reviled.