The best part about Minnesota summers isn’t the weather, the lakes, or the fishing. Rather, the opportunity to watch the Timberwolves Summer League team and concoct wild fantasies about players’ futures is a far better way to spend your time. Why waste your time purifying yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka when you could spend that same time asking your friends for a League Pass login and streaming a game on a patio?
The Wolves filled last year’s Summer League roster with unbridled optimism and some genuinely exciting play. When people weren’t making Leandro Bolmaro out to be the next Ricky Rubio, Isaiah Miller was lighting the world on fire with his electrifying dunks and endless battery. McKinley Wright IV was settling into the speed of the NBA with his hometown team, and the prospect of anybody getting fired was not remotely close to anyone’s radar (see: Gersson Rosas). It was a wholesome time that helped pave the way toward an ultimately successful season for the franchise.
Two games into this Summer League year, we have already seen some notable standouts from the Wolves squad. In particular, second-rounder Josh Minott has had outstanding performances in Minnesota’s two Summer League games so far. He is a prospect who will require some development, thus his slide in the draft. Still, he has a high ceiling that was on full display in the games against the Denver Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Opening the Summer League campaign with a win against the Nuggets, Minott put on a clinic, scoring 22 points on an efficient 8-of-15 shooting and 2-of-3 from three. He topped that off with three assists and a block. The internet was rich with praise as Minott outshined his fellow draft-mates Wendell Moore Jr. and Matteo Spagnolo.
His next game in a losing effort against the Grizzlies had a less flashy stat line: seven points on 2-of-9 shooting, five rebounds, and a whopping seven fouls. (Summer League allows for 10 fouls per player.) It was inefficient and showcased the floor of a prospect like Minott. Despite the poor stat line, Minott still showcased some of the talent and vision that showed why many analysts had him projected as a much higher pick.
Newly-appointed general manager Tim Connelly appears to be adhering to some of the same team-building principles as his predecessor, Rosas. In an ideal world, late draft picks should be used on players with high ceilings that, while perhaps not filling immediate positions of need, have a chance at developing into effective players. That was the mindset behind Rosas’ draft-and-stash pick, Bolmaro, two seasons ago. It also applied to the duo of Minott and Spagnolo this season. The Wolves have a long and storied history of whiffing on draft picks, so the early development of these players is a welcome revelation for a franchise that finally appears to be on the come-up.
Minott embodies everything that Connelly would want in a draft-and-stash, though he may eventually find a path to playing time this season if he keeps up the torrid pace and plays emphatic defense. The SparkNotes of Minott’s in-depth draft profile? He’s huge, athletic, and smooth. Minott’s 6’8″ 200-lb. frame and 6’11” wingspan allow him to defend multiple positions at ease effectively.
His physical checklist is great. However, Minott’s only uncertainty comes from his experience as a freshman at Memphis. He had inconsistent playing time last year (14.7 minutes per game), which was one of the contributing factors in the decline of his draft stock. The Summer League is an excellent opportunity for the Wolves to see what they have in Minott. With this, management will undoubtedly use him with the Iowa Wolves in addition to the senior team.
However, there is a contingent of fans ready to anoint Minott as a rotation player this year. It is an optimistic thought, though it is rooted in the capabilities of the Wolves of Old. Minott would have more of a place in the rotation if the Timberwolves were not in an immediate position to contend for a top seed in the Western Conference. The Rudy Gobert trade proved that Minnesota will be maximizing the next four years, and that may not leave much room for brand new players outside the already-solidified lineup.
The bright side is that there will be plenty of time for Minott to work on his game behind what is slated to be a competitive and successful team. “Winning culture” is a concept that has not been known to Minnesota sports since the turn of the ’90s, though the Wolves have a real opportunity to make that a reality in the coming years. Having that mindset goes a long way with a franchise and the development of young players. One needs to look no further than the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors and how they built their dynastic runs through drafting and development.
Regardless, Minott is in a great spot. He will be able to learn from great players, a great coaching staff, and hopefully, a season that consists of more successes than failures. His time to contribute will come with time, as all things do within a franchise that is suddenly on the positive end of the food chain.
