Austin Rivers Agrees to 1-Year Timberwolves Contract After Nuggets Stint

Former Denver Nuggets guard Austin Rivers and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a one-year deal, his agents Dave Spahn and Aaron Mintz told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 29-year-old played the 2021-22 season on a one-year contract with the Nuggets. It was his first full season in Denver after the New York Knicks traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2020-21 season.

Rivers served as a solid depth piece off the bench for the Nuggets behind Will Barton. He averaged 6.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 41.7 percent from the floor and 34.2 percent from deep in 67 games.

That said, the Duke product lost playing time after rookie Bones Hyland broke out during the second half of the season, averaging 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in his final 18 regular-season games.

Since being drafted 10th overall in 2012 by the New Orleans Pelicans, Rivers has bounced around the NBA, playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets in addition to the Nuggets and Knicks.

The veteran has had his struggles, but he's proved to be a nice depth piece—especially on defense—for teams looking to contend for a title. Now, he'll have the opportunity to do that with the new-look Timberwolves, who made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason by trading for center Rudy Gobert.