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Timberwolves to Join 4 Other Teams in Canadian NBA Preseason Series

Minnesota will be one of five NBA teams to compete in a preseason series held in Winnipeg this October.

By Lindsey M. Young
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, the Timberwolves will head to Winnipeg in October to participate in an NBA preseason series.

The NBA announced the fourth annual NBA Canada Series, saying the it will feature a record five teams playing an "all-time high" four preseason games in Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

The Wolves will also play on Oct. 14, facing the Raptors in Ottawa.

The Minnesota games promise to have a larger draw than the others, since Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins is a native of Toronto. There is no official word on whether Wiggins will play in the series, but it wouldn't be surprising if he makes an appearance for his hometown fans. Wiggins became the first Canadian-born player to earn ROY honors.

The NBA Canada series works to create a family-friendly event that promotes the league, including interactive fan events and NBA Cares community outreach programs. The Canadian fan base continues to grow, and the country's presence is also increasing on NBA rosters. A press release by the Bulls stated the following:

NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 12 Canadians, more than any country outside the United States [...]. The 2014-15 regular season also generated significant increases in national television viewership in Canada for both the NBA (+73%) and the Raptors (+75%). Additionally, NBA All-Star 2016, the first NBA All-Star game to be held outside of the United States, will be held at Air Canada Centre in Toronto Feb. 12-14.

Tickets for the series will go on sale June 6, with prices ranging from $19.50 to $175 (courtside). The five teams included this year will be Toronto, Minnesota, Chicago, LA (Clippers) and Washington. The Wizards and Clippers will play only one game apiece, while the Raptors, Timberwolves and Bulls will each play two games.