Timberwolves

Taurean Prince Brings A Welcome Element Of Chaos On the Court

Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves thrived on the defensive end by putting heavy pressure on the ball-handler. Attacking the ball-handler allowed the Wolves’ defense to have the second-best turnover rate in the league. The aggressive defense was so successful because players like Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley were defensive menaces. They flew around the court, they could switch, and they were unafraid to get into the teeth of the ball handler, muck things up, and create chaos on the defensive end of the court.

On the other end of the court, Malik Beasley matched Beverley and Vanderbilt’s energy often helped swing momentum. Whether it was Beasley with his quick-trigger threes, Vanderbilt attacking the offensive glass, or Beverley playing isolation ball against Ja Morant in the playoffs, the three provided an element of unpredictability that was essential to Minnesota’s run to the playoffs. Now that they are gone, the Wolves will be lacking that critical element of chaos that they provided. So who will pick up the slack?

Insert Taurean Prince. His contributions this preseason have been key to the Wolves’ success. Prince’s counting stats don’t leap off the page, as he averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and two assists per game in four preseason outings. But he’s filling in for the absences left by Vando and Pat Bev in surprising ways.

Prince’s contributions to the bench unit will be paramount. The Timberwolves will rely heavily on his shooting prowess on a second unit that will be sorely missing Beasley’s ability to stretch the floor.

Prince only shot 30% from deep in the preseason, but history tells us that he is a far better shooter than that. He’s a career 37% 3-point shooter, and we should expect him to shoot close to that level. The shots will undoubtedly be there for him to take. Beasley attempted 637 threes last season, which ranks as the sixth-most attempts in the league.

Along with shooting, Prince provides some impressive energy on the defensive end. Jaden McDaniels is slated to begin the season as a starter, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Prince occasionally slide into the starting lineup. I’m not the only one to notice that the Wolves are missing some of the energy Vanderbilt and Beverley brought to the starting unit.

Prince should see an uptick in his minutes if the starting group continues to lack energy entering the season. More than anyone, he seems to be able to play with the type of motor that can energize a team. The play below against the Miami Heat is a perfect example. He guards Duncan Robinson and ends up poking the ball away. Then he races down the floor, spaces out to the 3-point line, and knocks down the transition jumper without hesitation. These are the types of plays that swing momentum on the court.

The lineup above features Jordan McLaughlin, Bryn Forbes, Austin Rivers, and Nathan Knight. I’d consider this group Minnesota’s most high-energy lineup. Finch likely won’t deploy this unit much in the regular season. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert should stagger fairly often, and the guard rotation between Forbes, J-Mac, and Rivers will likely shrink. Prince has the inside track to getting the most minutes in this group, and his energy should shine in the regular rotation.

Prince is more than just an energy guy, though. Last year, Beverley provided so much for the Wolves not only as a point-of-attack defender but also as a secondary playmaker. Prince has also shown the ability to operate in a limited capacity as a playmaker. Normally, we might expect to see Jaylen Nowell with the ball in his hands in an end-of-clock situation. Here, Prince enters a pick-and-roll action with Naz Reid and finds him for a bucket to beat the end of quarter clock.

Prince is immediately finding ways to fill the gaps left in the roster after the Gobert trade. His diverse set of skills and high motor are exactly what the Wolves need to hold things together while the new-look roster figures things out. I often forget Prince was a lottery pick in the 2016 NBA draft. With a larger role this year, he should be able to show off some of the skills that impressed the Atlanta Hawks enough to draft him No. 12 overall.

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