Former Cleveland Cavaliers and current Minnesota Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince was arrested at Miami International Airport on Thursday.
Authorities said Prince was picked up “as a fugitive subject to extradition” on drug charges from Texas, according to NBC News’ David K. Li.
SLATER SCOOP: Minnesota Timberwolves’ Taurean Prince was arrested on a fugitive warrant this evening at Miami International Airport, multiple sources tell me.
The warrant is from Texas regarding “dangerous drugs,” I’m told. pic.twitter.com/i7jtHyXDVu
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) August 26, 2022
Prince had been stopped by police back in May when he had a vape pen with THC oil on him, which is illegal in Texas. Since Prince also had a weapon with him at the time, he was arrested for unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of marijuana.
From Arlington Police : "Under Texas law, it’s illegal to carry a gun while engaging in a criminal offense. Because suspected illegal substances were found in his vehicle, we arrested Mr. Prince for Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon and Possession of Marijuana < 2oz . " @KSTP
— Eric Chaloux (@EricChalouxKSTP) August 26, 2022
According to Yahoo! Sports’ Jack Baer, Prince was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The 28-year-old forward was granted a $2,500 bond on Friday.
Following the news of Prince’s arrest, the Timberwolves issued a statement regarding the incident.
“We are aware of the alleged report regarding Taurean Prince and are in the process of gathering more information,” the statement read.
Prince, who played collegiately at Baylor University, is a Texas native. He was a first-round pick back in the 2016 NBA Draft.
The Cavs traded Prince last offseason in a deal that brought Ricky Rubio to Cleveland. Prince was solid for the Timberwolves in the 2021-22 season, as he averaged 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 17.1 minutes per game. He shot 45.4 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc.
With the Timberwolves trading away several depth pieces in the deal that brought in Rudy Gobert this offseason, Prince was expected to have a rotation role for the team in the 2022-23 season.
In fact, Minnesota signed Prince to a two-year deal worth over $14 million this offseason. However, the second year of the deal is non-guaranteed, according to Spotrac.
The Timberwolves could be facing a key decision regarding Prince’s future depending on the consequences of his arrest. Minnesota made the playoffs last season, but it is looking to make a leap in the Western Conference after trading away a ton of draft capital to get Gobert this offseason.
