NBA News: Saturday, April 1st, 2023

The playoff races in each conference are the biggest NBA news stories to follow over the next few days, but there are other things going on as well. Injuries continue to happen throughout the league, and the NBA is also hoping to secure a new labor agreement. 

Keeping up with the most recent NBA news hasn’t been that difficult of late, but there are going to be some busy days ahead. Here is a look at a few of the biggest NBA news stories over the last few days. 

Timberwolves in News For Wrong Reasons

The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to be in the news for all of the wrong reasons, and that hasn’t changed over the last few days. The NBA announced a couple of fines on Friday based on action made by their All-Star center and head coach. 

Rudy Gobert was fined $25,000, and head coach Chris Finch was fined $15,000 for comments made after a loss to the Phoenix Suns. Both Gobert and Finch complained to the media about a free throw discrepancy that they believed contributed to the loss. 

The Timberwolves also made a big announcement on Friday when they revealed that center Naz Reid is now out with a broken left wrist. Minnesota entered Friday night in eighth place in the Western Conference, and they will be without a key piece moving forward.

Minimum Age Discussion is Tabled

The NBA and NBPA continue to move forward with a new labor agreement, and most of the discussions have been positive. There is a chance that a new deal gets signed before the deadline on Friday night, but there are still several issues that need to be ironed out. 

There was a push to remove the minimum age requirement to enter the NBA Draft, and that had been getting plenty of discussion. The latest update from NBA insiders have announced that the discussion has ended, and the current age requirement is going to remain in place. 

The rule currently states that players have to be at least 19 years old or one year removed from high school in the United States in order to enter the NBA Draft. That rule has had a huge impact on the college basketball game as the top prospects only enroll at a school for one year.

Aldridge Retires Again

Longtime NBA center LaMarcus Aldridge has announced his retirement from the NBA for the second time. Aldridge initially announced his retirement during the 2020-21 season, but he returned a season ago to appear in 47 games. 

The longtime Portland Trail Blazers star played his first nine years with his original franchise before signing a deal with the San Antonio Spurs. His last appearance came with the Brooklyn Nets, but he wasn’t the same player after leaving San Antonio. 

Aldridge was known for being a terrific offensive player, and he averaged 19.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game during his 16-year career. He was the number two overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and made the All-Star team seven times in his career.

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All Media on this page by Associated Press.