Timberwolves' Omri Casspi: Expected to sign with Minnesota

Casspi (thumb) is expected to sign a contract with the Timberwolves in the near future, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports.

Analysis:

Casspi was waived by the Pelicans in February after fracturing his right thumb in his team debut, but he's progressed quicker than anticipated and looks like he'll be healthy enough to play in the final three weeks of the regular season. Though several teams were reportedly interested in bringing Casspi aboard, it appears the depth-starved Timberwolves provided the most appealing opportunity for the 28-year-old. It's expected that he'll officially sign with the team in the coming days, but he may need to get in a practice or two with the Timberwolves before coach Tom Thibodeau would feel comfortable including him in the rotation. Once he gets acclimated, Casspi could settle in as the top backup to power forward Gorgui Dieng, effectively filling the role that had belonged to Nemanja Bjelica (foot), who was recently ruled out for the season.