So far, Brandon Williams has had three good performances as the starting point guard of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Summer League team. With center Luka Garza and guard Jaylen Clark already signing their two-way deals, Williams has made a case for himself to receive the final one.
Among the changes in the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the league shifted the number of two-way contracts teams can offer from two to three. Those 30 extra contracts will be crucial for players who haven’t gotten their NBA opportunity yet, and for those who’ve yet to stick.
The Timberwolves have had some success developing players on two-way contracts. Players like guard Jordan McLaughlin earned his deal after a strong Summer League showing in 2019, and he remains on the roster. After a strong preseason last year, the Wolves converted Garza’s contract from an Exhibit 10 deal to a two-way, and he was one of the best players in the G League.
Williams is a player with enough upside to be offered a two-way deal. The 23-year-old went undrafted in 2021 after spending two seasons at the University of Arizona. He’s had stints with the Westchester Knicks and College Park Skyhawks of the G League, and he started games in the NBA for the Portland Trail Blazers when Damian Lillard was shut down due to injury last year. Williams is the type of player the Timberwolves can’t allow to leave the organization. Through three games of Summer League play, Williams is averaging 21.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 2 steals.
Williams has proven himself to be a dynamic player, showing his effectiveness as a scorer and passer. Just looking at his time with the Trail Blazers, he became their first rookie since Lillard in 2012 to score in double digits for five consecutive games. Williams continued his efforts with their Summer League team, proving to be instrumental in their path to winning the competition last year. While Portland decided to waive him in the offseason, they gave the opportunity to showcase his ability at the highest level.
Before even suiting up for the Timberwolves in Summer League, Williams was likely a player they already had on their radar. Wolves fans may remember him scoring 21 points against them near the end of last season. Williams is more of a scoring point guard, but he is a more than capable passer. His size puts a limitation on his defensive upside, but his 2 steals per game in Summer League showed he has some instinctual awareness on that end. Just take a look at 6’0’’ McLaughlin at his best. He also has earned minutes through his offense and instincts on defense.
There is speculation that the Timberwolves could offer Matt Ryan their final two-way contract. He’s been seen sitting courtside at the Summer League games in Las Vegas with Garza and members of the coaching staff and front office. While it is likely that the organization wants Ryan to be their final player on a two-way after offering him a qualifying offer and becoming a restricted free agent, he didn’t show nearly enough last year to accept that there is any upside in bringing him back.
Ryan had a short stint with the Los Angeles Lakers last season before joining the Timberwolves on a two-way in December. He made his mark as a shooter, his most notable moment being his buzzer-beater against the New Orleans Pelicans to force overtime. However, he hasn’t been a reliable shooter in Minnesota, shooting 38.8% from the floor in 22 regular season games. While those numbers seem impressive, the sample size is small. Ryan averaged just 8 minutes per game and 3 points per game. Still, Ryan isn’t a proven NBA shooter yet
Williams will also benefit from being able to develop around young talent on the Iowa Wolves, Minnesota’s G League affiliate. He had quality production in the G League last season, averaging 19.8 points per game and 6.3 assists. Even if there’s no clear pathway for him to find minutes on the Timberwolves next season, the G League experience on a two-way contract will keep him closely knit with the culture that’s being built in the organization.
The Timberwolves may not have expected Williams to become a candidate for the two-way spot. However, the success he has experienced as a young player should be enough of a reason for Tim Connelly and Co. to give him serious consideration.
