Report: Warriors, T-Wolves to play 2 exhibition games in China next season

The NBA will send its marquee franchise out to China as part of its Global Games series next season.

The Golden State Warriors will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in two exhibition games - set in Shenzhen and Shanghai - during preseason in the fall, sources told ESPN's Chris Haynes.

Last fall, the league pitted the Houston Rockets against the New Orleans Pelicans in Shanghai and Beijing.

The NBA is massively popular in China and the league is catering to the enormous Chinese market by sending marquee names across the Pacific. As it is, NBA stars routinely visit China during the offseason for promotional tours.

The league also held exhibition games in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona) and in Canada (Vancouver and Calgary) last October.