Throughout the last decade in the NBA, the analytics behind the three-point shot has fundamentally changed the way that offenses now play in the league. What was once considered a shot only to be taken when a player is open and spotted up has now become prioritized. Teams will pass up wide-open layups or dunks, opting to pass it out to the perimeter for a three-point attempt.
Stephen Curry is the source of the three-point revolution, of course. While it’s not worth being dejected anymore over having passed on Curry twice in that 2009 draft, it’s nearly indisputable to acknowledge how much he changed the game with his ability to shoot from arena parking lots. It forces defenses to account for three-point shots more than anyone could have imagined before the three-point revolution.
Since then, the league has seen an increase in three-point shooting attempts per player and team, three-point shooting percentages across the league, and three-point shooting versatility. Before, only guards and some wing players would usually take the bulk of their teams’ three-point shot attempts.
But since this three-point revolution occurred in the 2010s, players like Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, and the Wolves’ own Karl-Anthony Towns are highly valued for their ability to stretch the floor and be effective three-point shooters at their size. KAT was among the 20 most effective three-point shooters last season and the best shooter from deep at his size, shooting a remarkable 41% from three last year.
Recently, the Minnesota Timberwolves have shot a lot of three-point shots, but they haven’t been able to convert consistently. During Ryan Saunders’s first and only full season as head coach in 2019-20, the Wolves launched the third most threes per game with 39.7. However, the Wolves found themselves towards the bottom half of the league in three-point accuracy, ranking around 19th-20th in the league in three-point shooting percentage during that time.
While this trend continued into the next season, Gersson Rosas fired Saunders and brought in Chris Finch midseason. Finch carried over some of Saunders’ approach with a high shooting volume. Still, many fans and viewers began recognizing the increased potential for Minnesota’s three-point shooting under Finch’s offensive game plan.
This shooting potential came to fruition last season for the Timberwolves. Minnesota was one of the more three-point-centric teams in the league. Last season, the Wolves drained the most threes by any team in the league, making 1,211. They also led the league in three-point attempts per game at 41.3. While they only shot 35.8% from three last season, 12th in the league, it became pretty apparent through last season that the Wolves are going in the right direction as one of the premier three-point shooting teams in the league.
Two of Minnesota’s offseason acquisitions that could significantly impact their three-point shooting ability this upcoming season are sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and their new all-NBA center Rudy Gobert.
Forbes has been one of the better three-point shooters in the league for some time now. Throughout his 5-6 year career, Forbes has averaged over 41% shooting from three. Last season, Forbes ranked among the top 15 players in 3-point shooting percentage, averaging 41.4% from three.
As a spot-up shooter, Forbes could offer this Wolves team a very valuable three-point shooting option to be able to kick the ball out to. Forbes also could play off screens well and utilize that offensive scheme to lose his defender and knock down a high percentage of threes this season.
Gobert isn’t a shooter, but he could help the Wolves become a more dangerous three-point shooting team this season in a couple of ways.
Gobert is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. Therefore, he may offer the Wolves a lot of second-chance attempts from three, especially with four quality shooters around him. Gobert also is one of the better screen setters in the league. That could help the Wolves incorporate more screen action to have shooters like Anthony Edwards, Forbes, and even KAT utilize more open looks from three.
The Utah Jazz were often a top-10 three-point shooting team with Gobert. He greatly impacted their three-point shooting by drawing attention near the rim. That freed up a lot of space from the perimeter, and he now can bring this added layer to Minnesota’s offense this season.
Aside from their acquisitions, Edwards and Jaylen Nowell could significantly impact the Wolves’ three-point shooting effectiveness this season.
Edwards only shot 33% from three his rookie season on a little over seven attempts per game, but he improved last season by shooting closer to 36% from three on over eight attempts per game. With all the buzz surrounding Ant’s expected improvement this year, his shot from beyond the arc may only get better. That could be huge for the Wolves considering his high volume and level of production for this team’s offense.
Nowell is another one of the young Wolves players with high potential as a three-point shooter for the team. Just from his 2nd to 3rd season with the team, Nowell jumped from shooting 33% from three to 39%. While only on around 3 attempts per game, Nowell’s production could increase this season, especially after this early preseason performance.
As long as Ant continues to improve from three, along with Chris Finch running an offense that helps set up players for open looks from deep, the Wolves have the right player personnel to make the most of the three-point shot. The Wolves already have some of the best three-point shooters in the league with players like Kat and now Forbes, so they have the players needed to be able to spread the floor. With their continuous improvement shooting from three as a collective, combined with the impact that their offseason additions could have, the Wolves could very much become one of the more prolific and accurate three-point shooting teams this season, which can only help lead their offense to become one of the more dynamic in the league.
