In part two of the Timberwolves Player Previews series, Will dives into the swingmen who may swing the season for Minnesota. If you missed the part one reviewing the guards, it’s just a click away below!
Jaden McDaniels
When Jaden McDaniels said “They’re all bad defenders” when
referencing the Denver Nuggets defense in last season’s first round, he announced himself in a major way to a national audience that may have previously overlooked his talents. Us Wolves fans knew he meant business and he did about as much as anyone could do to back that talk up. This season, the pressure mounts to continue that strong play in order to lead this team back to the heights of the Western Conference Finals.
Fans should expect more usage from Jaden this year, even though last year’s usage rate was his career’s highest at 18.6% (per statmuse.com). Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball will spend plenty of time handling the ball, but Jaden will take pretty dang close to a quarter of the team’s shots not because he will be needed to, but he’s just that good. One of his best offensive traits is his cutting without the ball which will lead to easy tone-setting buckets thanks to LaMelo’s passing. We all know he’s a midrange assassin and a capable three-point shooter. We also know he’s one of the most impactful point of attack defenders in the league. The rest of the league and its fans may not know these things just yet, but they will soon.
Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga may just be the NBA’s most polarizing player. Undeniable talent, but some weird contract negotiations and an off-putting dispute with one of the game’s best coaches have put JK in a category of players where people just don’t know what to think about them. Here’s what we know: he’s a blazer in transition, can make tough finishes going towards the rim, and has the body to be an excellent defender. If all those three factors come to fruition, it will be a home run signing.
One of my big things is the difference between players who can shoot vs. the players who are shooters. Kuminga is firmly in the “can shoot” category. Hopefully he can be in the ~35% range, which would be a tick above his career average, according to Basketball Reference. You’d have to think he’ll be able to get some quality looks in this Minnesota offense. We’ve seen it go wrong with him before, but what a difference maker Kuminga could be.
Terrence Shannon Jr.
One of my favorite revelations of the late regular season/playoff stretch was just how effective Terrence Shannon Jr. was with the ball in his hands above the break. Another burner, the upside down jersey bandit can absolutely rock the rim when he gets the motor running downhill. One thing I’d love to see TJ show improvement at is his faith in using his right hand. He gets a little too left-handed dominant while attacking sometimes, and if he had a strong right hand there would be that many more baskets for him at the rim.
This is another guy who could be classified as “can shoot”, but I would love to see him graduate to being a bonafide knockdown “shooter”. Bench guys in this league are all judged on how well they can fill their specific roles. If he brings energy and stays in his lane on both ends of the floor, we can call this season a success for him.
Jaylen Clark
The Timberwolves have finally added the final piece to the puzzle, a YouTube sensation. All jokes aside, there’s plenty to be hopeful for when watching Jaylen Clark play basketball this season. The only thing he’s proven beyond a reasonable doubt he can do in this league is be a point-of-attack defender. A graduation to being a guy that defenders can’t help off of could make him a stalwart off the bench. He’s also another guy who could benefit from the LaMelo Ball passing abilities based on of his affinity for cutting without the ball.
Remember, pressure on the rim doesn’t always have to come via the ball being driven to the hoop. Constant movement, especially when there’s scoring opportunities coming from a pass, forces the rim to need to be protected. It seems counterintuitive, but off-ball movement forcing rim protection and defensive rotations can be super helpful in opening up the entire floor for an offense. Bench guys fill roles, and that could very well be a role for Jaylen Clark to fill.
Isaiah Evans
I’ll never say no to anyone with Duke Blue Devil pedigree. Especially if he has a 6’6” frame and was a proven shooter in college. Isaiah Evans has all the tools to be an effective 3-and-D player in the league, but he’s going to have to put all the tools together. The game looked a little fast for him in summer league, but some grace for adjustments should be given as the procedural dealings that brought him to the Timberwolves weren’t completed until the Wolves were already in Vegas. I mentioned in a previous preview that the Wolves might be looking for some shooting off the bench, and if he can prove he can provide that, we could see a bunch of Isaiah Evans this winter.
Cody Williams
A luxury tax dodging move added the former lottery pick to the Wolves roster, and there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to what Cody Williams might bring. We do know that at this current moment he can’t shoot, but there are definitely tools there to be honed. Harmony seems to be a focal point for this team this year, and Cody could prove to be valuable if he buys into being a cog in the defensive machine and staying in his offensive lane. At the very least, Chris Finch can throw him out there to punk his brother when the Thunder come to town.
Enrique Freeman
Not unlike Zyon Pullin, there are worse guys to have as back-end depth pieces. Enrique Freeman has proven that he can be effective in the scenarios that he’s been given, but don’t expect to see the Puerto Rican-native unless something has gone horribly wrong. He’s more of a traditional power forward, but he’s slightly undersized and the Wolves trotted him out as a small forward for chunks of summer league (for better or worse). Expect Freeman to spend most of his time with the Iowa Wolves.
Wo do you think will live up to their expectations? Maybe a sneaky breakout candidate? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
