Joe Ingles plans to join Melbourne United for the 2026-27 NBL season after his current run with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA postseason, according to a person familiar with the plan. Ingles, 38, is still chasing his first NBA championship ring.
The move would bring the five-time Olympian back to Australia after a 12-year NBA career that began as an undrafted free agent out of Australia. He joined the Utah Jazz at 27 and stayed from 2014 to 2022, appearing in more than 600 games while averaging 8.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists and shooting 40.6% from three in Salt Lake City.
Since leaving Utah after the 2022 season, Ingles has bounced among a few franchises, and there is a good chance his current playoff run with Minnesota will be the last time he appears on an NBA floor. After this postseason ends, he is expected to move toward finalizing a deal with Melbourne United, a return that would close the loop on a career that made him a longtime Jazz fan favorite.
For Ingles, the timing is stark. He is still active in the postseason, but the next chapter is already taking shape, and it points home.