“The work will speak for itself”: Kevin Durant can’t hide true feelings as Timberwolves add guard Johnny Juzang to roster

Future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant seems to be a big fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ decision to sign guard Johnny Juzang.

Following ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting on Friday that Johnny Juzang signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Durant quickly responded by tagging Juzang in his reply.

“Let’s go @jsilky. The work will speak for itself.”

Juzang has spent the past three seasons with the Utah Jazz since going undrafted in 2022. Last season, he notably averaged a career-high 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds while playing in a career-high 64 games.

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Additionally, he notably shot 37.6% from 3-point range throughout the season, while scoring at an efficient 42.9% rate from the field.

He now joins the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team looks to build on a playoff run that saw them make it to the conference finals before being eliminated by the OKC Thunder in a five-game series.

After the Timberwolves parted ways with Nickeil Alexander-Walker this summer, Juzang will likely find himself slotting in as a third option behind Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo on the Timberwolves' depth chart.

Kevin Durant notably opted not to join the Minnesota Timberwolves this season

While Kevin Durant seems eager to let the world see the work Johnny Juzang has put in behind the scenes, the future Hall of Famer notably shut down a chance to join the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason.

Heading into the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline in February, news emerged that the Phoenix Suns had a deal on the table that would send Kevin Durant to Golden State.

Durant was uninterested in the offer, stating that if he and Phoenix were going to part ways, he wanted it to happen during the offseason.

While Minnesota's front office was eager to bring the two-time champ to the Twin Cities, reports early in the offseason indicated that Durant preferred to go elsewhere.

Despite not having a no-trade clause, Phoenix honored his wishes, with the deal never coming to fruition, and Durant instead landed with another Western Conference team, the Houston Rockets.

Although the NBA has yet to release the schedule for the 2025-26 season, as Western Conference rivals, Durant and the Rockets are all but guaranteed to meet Juzang and the Timberwolves on several occasions throughout the year.

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About the author

Evan Bell

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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