That the Timberwolves will open the regular season Wednesday in Brooklyn is only fitting, considering the Nets influence that is here in Minnesota.
Players? Backups Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham both played in Brooklyn last season, when the Nets bounced back from a 28-54 record the season before to go 42-40 and qualify for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Both of them came to Minnesota as part of the complicated dealings that sent D’Angelo Russell to Golden State and Kevin Durant to the Nets.
Front office? Assistant general manager Gianluca Pascucci was the Nets’ director of scouting from 2016 through last season, while Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni was an assistant with the Nets last year.