Nickeil Alexander-Walker has meaningfully improved as a three-point shooter since the Utah Jazz traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Mike Conley–D’Angelo Russell swap at the 2022-23 deadline. Before the trade, Alexander-Walker shot only 33.7% (262 for 777) from three in New Orleans and Utah. However, in Minnesota, he has shot an impressive 39.6% (190 of 480). After playing for three teams in his first four years, Alexander-Walker has found a home as one of Minnesota’s most reliable role players.
Alexander-Walker’s coaches have thrown him into many roles throughout his career. He showed flashes as an on-ball scorer early with the New Orleans Pelicans but did not have enough efficiency to find a consistent role. He only played 51 games in Utah, but he began showcasing his primary off-ball role with secondary ball-handling duties.
Quickly, Alexander-Walker’s 3P improvement and his newly found defensive acumen gave the Timberwolves an easy plug-and-play option off the bench. As a result, he has earned a career-high 23.4 minutes played per game in the 2023-24 season, his first full year in Minnesota.
The Timberwolves have simplified Alexander-Walker’s offensive role over time, but he has still experienced growing pains finding consistency.
Minnesota needed his three-point shooting in the playoffs last year, but he couldn’t find consistency. Alexander-Walker shot 24 of 81 (29.6%) on three-point attempts through the three playoff series. He already had a slow start in the Phoenix series, shooting 9 of 28 (32.1%). However, a shoulder stinger he suffered fighting around a Nikola Jokic screen in Game 3 of the Denver Nuggets series would hinder him for the remainder of the playoffs. He shot 10 of 38 (26.3%) from three over his last nine playoff games.
Alexander-Walker’s shooting struggles lasted into international play, as he shot 2 of 14 in seven games with Team Canada in exhibition and Olympic games.
However, Alexander-Walker has been a much-improved shooter at the start of Minnesota’s 2024/25 campaign. Placing him as one of the league’s most efficient three-point (3P) shooters through the first 20 games of the season.
He’s shooting:
- 33/73 (45.2%) from 3P
- 15/29 (51.7%) on corner 3P
- 18/44 (40.9%) on above-the-break 3P
- 30/61 (49.2%) on catch-and-shoot 3P
While those shooting numbers are fantastic, Alexander-Walker has an even greater impact due to his importance to the team’s roster construction and spacing.
To begin the season, Alexander-Walker’s teammates have not done enough to buoy Minnesota’s three-point shooting. Jaden McDaniels is shooting 29.5% from three, and Donte DiVincenzo is shooting 33.3%, putting the Timberwolves’ offense in an awkward spot. If the role players and off-ball kick-out perimeter players cannot knock down three-point looks, it will only make life more difficult than it already is for Anthony Edwards. Edwards needs his teammates to create shooting gravity to score downhill, especially with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert on the court.
Due to the lingering issues with DiVincenzo and McDaniels, Alexander-Walker has begun to earn more trust from Chris Finch. Finch tends to hesitate with drastic rotational changes, and the Timberwolves must manage their assets after trading for DiVincenzo this off-season and having McDaniels’ contract extension kicking in this season. There is still room for tweaking minutes to roll with the hot hand.
The Wolves must give Alexander-Walker more opportunities to get extended run. Whether it is more minutes within his regular rotational stints or placing him in crucial fourth quarter and closing lineups, there is room to give him that large platform for success. Giving him more minutes will maximize his simplified offensive role to help other players like Randle and Edwards find their rhythm.
Alexander-Walker has already been a crucial part of some of Minnesota’s best lineups this season. He owns a +16.7 NET ON/OFF rating.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is also involved in four of Minnesota’s six best lineups in terms of Net Rating (minimum 15+ minutes played).
- (1st) 72 MP +34.1 Net Rating | Conley | DiVincenzo | Alexander-Walker | Reid | Gobert
- (3rd) 53 MP +25.8 Net Rating | Edwards | DiVincenzo | Alexander-Walker | Reid | Gobert
- (4th) 73 MP +14.7 Net Rating | Edwards | DiVincenzo | Alexander-Walker | Reid | Randle
- (6th) 64 MP +3.7 Net Rating | Edwards | Alexander-Walker | McDaniels | Randle | Gobert
Alexander-Walker is putting up those numbers despite Chris Finch deploying him into heavier backup offensive initiation and point guard roles this season, a spot he has struggled with throughout his career. Still, Alexander-Walker has found ways to be one of the team’s most impactful players. That’s impressive, considering his turnover issues and ball security when he has to dribble up court to begin the half-court offense.
Still, Minnesota’s most successful lineups that have featured Alexander-Walker have either had another ball-handler to help his shortcomings, such as DiVincenzo or Edwards, or a pure table-setter in Conley. Regardless, Alexander-Walker will be much more impactful when plugged into an off-ball spacer role that can knock down three-point looks, showcase enough attack closeouts off the bounce, and offer secondary playmaking.
Even though Finch has thrown Alexander-Walker into many different roles and lineups, he has retained his confidence. Alexander-Walker has pulled three-point shots without hesitation throughout the entire season.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s financial situation is hard to gauge. He’s in the final year of his 2-year, $9 million contract and set to be an unrestricted free agent this off-season. However, given how paramount he has been to Minnesota’s early-season play, the front office must prioritize re-signing him.
Money becomes difficult with the CBA tax apron rules and Minnesota’s large contract bill. However, the Wolves could benefit from the financial flexibility that the Karl-Anthony Towns trade created if they re-sign Alexander-Walker. He has been far too much of a glimpse of hope during Minnesota’s slow start to the season.
