Former Duke standout Isaiah Evans was unable to make his highly anticipated debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the team’s opening game of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, with an unusual league rule delaying his eligibility despite being selected in last month’s NBA Draft.
Fans expecting to see the rookie take the floor against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night were left surprised when Evans never checked into the game. His absence was not due to injury or a coaching decision but rather because the complex trade that brought his draft rights to Minnesota had not yet been officially completed.
Although the Timberwolves used a second-round draft pick to acquire Evans, the selection was part of a complicated four-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Charlotte Hornets. The larger transaction also included the blockbuster deal involving LaMelo Ball, creating additional administrative hurdles before the league could formally approve the trade.
The primary reason for the delay centers on Mouhamadou Gueye, whose inclusion in the multi-team agreement prevented the transaction from becoming official immediately.
According to NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan, Gueye was not eligible to be traded until July 9, exactly three months after signing his most recent NBA contract on April 9, in accordance with league regulations governing recently signed players.
While that waiting period officially expired this week, the NBA had still not finalized the paperwork in time for Minnesota’s Summer League opener, leaving Evans technically under the rights of another franchise and therefore ineligible to suit up for the Timberwolves.
The situation highlights one of the NBA’s long-standing procedural rules that frequently creates confusion during and after the draft.
The same regulations often result in newly drafted players posing for photographs wearing hats of teams they never actually play for because trades agreed upon on draft night cannot become official until the league’s designated transaction period begins.
Evans narrowly avoided that awkward draft-night tradition after leaving the green room before the second round concluded, although he was technically selected by the Brooklyn Nets before his rights were immediately routed to Minnesota through the pending trade.
Despite widespread expectations that the transaction would be completed before Thursday’s contest, the delay ultimately prevented fans from getting their first look at the athletic wing in a Timberwolves uniform.
The setback also costs Evans valuable development time during Summer League, where rookies typically receive significant playing opportunities while adjusting to the professional game and competing for roster roles ahead of training camp.
The Timberwolves remain optimistic that the trade will be officially processed before their next Summer League game against the Denver Nuggets, potentially allowing Evans to make his professional debut on Saturday.
The former Duke star enters the NBA with considerable motivation after sliding into the second round of the draft despite once being projected as one of the class’s more highly regarded prospects.
Minnesota believes Evans has the talent to develop into an important contributor, and Summer League is expected to provide the first opportunity for the rookie to begin proving himself at the professional level.
Until the paperwork is finalized, however, Evans will have to remain on the sidelines, waiting for one of the NBA’s most unusual administrative rules to clear the way for his long-awaited Timberwolves debut.
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