Preseason basketball is here at last for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They have had many strong showings through Week 1, giving fans something to be excited about. However, fans tend to set overly-high expectations of players in the preseason. Still, this time is great for teams to run sets they practiced in the offseason and different potential lineups. Aside from that, there isn’t much else to take from the 3-5 games the club plays.
All those things are true for the Wolves. However, they have one outlier – Bryn Forbes.
Tim Connelly sent the NBA and Timberwolves fanbase running to the hills three months ago when the team acquired highly coveted big man Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz.
In this blockbuster move, the Wolves lost a fair amount of depth, primarily at the guard spots. Minnesota parted ways with their best shooter off the bench, Malik Beasley. That led to questions as to whom would fill his shoes.
Beasley was on the second year of a four-year, $60 million contract extension with the team and was shooting 39% from three on eight attempts per game last season. When Beasley was on the floor, Chris Finch involved him in every set the team ran. He was at his best when he came off screens and flared to a perimeter opening.
On a team with Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, having guys that can space the floor around them is crucial to getting the most out of their individual games.
Towns often gets doubled. Every time he turns his back to the basket, it seems two or even three guys are trying to contain him, and rightfully so. Towns is one of the most dominant big men in the league right now, and his ability to thrive inside and out is spectacular. Taking away at least one avenue of his skillset is key to slowing him down.
On the other hand, Gobert does all of his damage exclusively in the painted area. His barrage of pick-and-rolls is sure to give nightmares to all opposing players. The Stifle Tower has led the league in field goal percentage in three of the last four seasons. When the ball gets rotated down to him, it’s most likely on the receiving end of a lob or quick touch pass from the ball handler, resulting in his high shot percentage.
D’Angelo Russell has excellent court vision, especially in the pick-and-roll. Looking back on his time with the Brooklyn Nets, Russell’s connection with 6’11” rim-running big man Jarrett Allen led to their games’ elevation.
The closest comparison to Russell’s time in Brooklyn with Allen was when he left the Nets to sign with the Golden State Warriors, where he played alongside 7-foot big man Willie Cauley-Stein.
After three years without a dependable pick-and-roll partner, Russell will finally be able to play with someone who poses a similar threat as Allen did. However, that threat is much greater than ever before.
So what happens when teams cut off Gobert’s run to the basket and Towns draws two to three defenders in the paint? That’s where Forbes will make his most significant impact.
Forbes, 29, has a long history of playing next to some terrific big men throughout his six-year career.
- LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs, 2016-20
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 2020-21
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 2021-22
Although Forbes has bounced around the league in recent years, he brings one consistent threat to the table – offense. Forbes’ best scoring season came during his time alongside Aldridge in 2018 with the Spurs. Forbes was active for all 82 games that season, putting up 11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 46% from the floor and 42% from three.
It’s widely known that Forbes is a scorer, but how exactly will he fit next to KAT and The French Rejection?
Beasley was very active off screens on the perimeter, but aside from that, Malik didn’t offer much else from beyond. Forbes, however, is very active while on the floor. The 6’2″ guard has made a living in the NBA by being a mobile threat from the arc, scoring very well off screens, similar to Beasley. His shot-making prowess coming off picks is precisely where he will fit next to Gobert, the best screener in the league. Not only can Forbes be a threat off screens, but also on the ball. Short two to three dribble spurts allow Forbes to create great space when probing the three-point line. Next to KAT, Forbes will be a terrific safety valve for Towns, who, as mentioned above, gets doubled at a very high rate.
Forbes is joining a Timberwolves squad with some fierce competitors who will fight for minutes off the bench. Jaylen Nowell, Taurean Prince, and Austin Rivers can all fill a similar role to the one Forbes will be trying to occupy. However, Forbes possesses one thing none of these guys have – a championship ring.
On top of his post-season winning pedigree, Forbes has been turning heads in the preseason, most notably last night vs. the L.A. Clippers. In 17 minutes of action, Forbes finished with 15 points on 63% from the floor and 83% from three, proving just how crucial he is to a winning culture as the Wolves escaped the Clippers 119-117.
Minutes within the Timberwolves may be hard to come by right now. However, keeping Forbes out of the rotation for all that long will be very hard. Looking at his history and playstyle, it’s very easy to see that his game can intertwine with that of Towns and Gobert. If he gets some regular time in the Wolves rotation, playing alongside the Northern Heights, Forbes will make a case for himself as Minnesota’s Sixth Man of the Year.
