The Minnesota Timberwolves have narrowed their roster as preparations for the start of the 2026-27 regular season intensify.

Minnesota announced Saturday that it waived guard Antonio Reeves and forwards Enrique Freeman, KJ Martin, Norchad Omier and Drew Timme. The decisions conclude their preseason opportunities to earn places on the opening roster.

The transactions leave the Timberwolves with 14 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals. Minnesota therefore retains an opening in each category as it considers whether to make another addition.

The five departures include players with different levels of NBA experience, from an established veteran in Martin to others still working to secure consistent opportunities at the league’s highest level.

Martin entered camp with the most extensive NBA résumé among the players released. He previously averaged 12.7 points for Houston during the 2022-23 season, when he made 49 starts.

His preseason shooting gave Minnesota some production, too. Martin made 11 of 19 field-goal attempts across five appearances, while Reeves went 12 of 17 in four games.

Neither player’s efficiency translated into a place on the opening roster.

Those results illustrate the challenge of evaluating roster competitions through shooting numbers alone. Exhibition appearances offer limited samples, and decisions also involve how a player’s skills fit the responsibilities available within a team.

A productive stretch can strengthen a candidate’s case without establishing that he is the best option for a particular role.

Minnesota’s announcement did not provide individual explanations for the cuts. It would therefore be premature to attribute any departure to one specific weakness or preseason performance.

For Martin and Reeves, the immediate task becomes finding another team with an opening that matches what they can offer.

Freeman’s release carries an additional consequence because it creates a two-way opening. Minnesota intends to evaluate players released elsewhere before filling that spot.

That approach allows the Timberwolves to review a wider group of candidates as other organizations finish their own roster decisions.

An available spot can be useful if a player with a needed skill becomes accessible. Keeping it open also allows Minnesota to compare outside options against what it learned during its own camp.

Timme leaves after shooting 9 of 15 during the preseason. He also has a brief NBA scoring résumé, having averaged 12.1 points in nine appearances with Brooklyn.

For the waived players, another NBA contract or a G League opportunity could provide a route forward. Their next destinations remain separate decisions, however, and a return to Minnesota’s organization should not be assumed.

The Timberwolves have completed a substantial round of cuts, but the remaining openings leave the front office with another question: whether a player becoming available elsewhere can improve the group it has chosen.