Entering the offseason, Chris Finch outlined his plan for the Minnesota Timberwolves to implement younger, more inexperienced players into the rotation next year. While this may have been expected considering the organization’s spending restrictions, it’s a move Finch has yet to make since Minnesota has become a competitive team in the Western Conference.
Outside of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid, the Wolves frequently roll out more experienced lineups to complement their young talent. But now, those guys aren’t so “young” because of their NBA experience, and it seems to be a good time to usher in a new era of youthfulness.
Minnesota’s young talent primarily consists of 2024 first-round picks Rob Dillingham and Terrence (TJ) Shannon Jr., 2023 second-round picks Leonard Miller and Jaylen Clark, and 2022 second-round pick Josh Minott. Daishen Nix, a 22-year-old guard entering his fourth season, is another young, promising player the Wolves have rostered.
These guys took the trip to Las Vegas for the Summer League, and each of them showcased what they could offer the organization. Every game played looked like typical Wolves basketball, showing the hunger these guys have, knowing the opportunity that awaits them this upcoming season. The Wolves finished the Summer League with a 4-1 record, leaving fans eager to see more of the young talent on display.
After a couple of inefficient games from Rob Dillingham in the Summer League, he finished with a strong performance against the Orlando Magic. Dillingham showcased his ball-handling, playmaking, finishing, shooting, and “microwave” scoring ability, reminding you of what Lou Williams brought off the bench for many years. Dillingham is a multifaceted player, and with him at the point guard position, he will see plenty of the ball.
In a film breakdown with Wolves television analyst Jim Petersen, newly promoted general manager Matt Lloyd explained how the Wolves needed a player to get to the basket outside of Edwards in the playoffs. Dillingham will fill that need for years to come. There’s no rush to do so either, with Mike Conley under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.
Terrence Shannon was terrific and left many people saying he was the steal of the draft. If not for the court case he dealt with while at Illinois, there’s no doubt that Shannon would’ve been drafted higher last month. There was also some hesitation, as there typically is, with Shannon being an “older” player as he turns 24 on Tuesday.
While scouts might prefer younger talent for upside reasons, Shannon is the type of polished player who fits the Wolves’ “win now” mindset. It’s truly a luxury that a quality player landed in Minnesota. With uncertainty surrounding Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s future beyond next season, Shannon could fulfill that role of being a two-way, high-energy player the Wolves could rely on. Don’t be surprised if that opportunity arises as early as next season.
Leonard Miller, 20, also showed out in the Summer League. Despite being a forward, Miller excelled and played the center role for the Wolves this summer. He showcased his finishing ability, rebounding prowess, and improved three-point shot. His defensive instincts and playmaking ability were also on display. In April, Finch said Miller’s ability to ‘do a little bit of everything’ compelled the Wolves to draft him. While Miller had some bad misses and unforced turnovers in Las Vegas, he showed that he was ready for a larger role going into his second season. Like Dillingham, Miller finished the Summer League with some strong showings.
Jaylen Clark also played well, considering he missed his first season recovering from an Achilles injury at UCLA. In his final season in Westwood, Clark won the Naismith Men’s College Defensive Player of the Year award. He would not have fallen to the second round if he was healthy, and his defensive intangibles dovetailed with Minnesota’s defensive philosophy.
In his first two games at Summer League, Clark had nine steals, including six in the second game. He also has an innate ability to stay in front of his opponents, similar to a few guys who are already on the roster. While he may pick up fouls along the way, he should grow in this department if he stays disciplined with his reach-in attempts. Clark is also trying to expand his offensive game with his three-point shot. Before Summer League, Clark said he was looking to find ‘spot minutes’ on this team as a defender, rebounder, and someone who can take advantage of catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Third-year forward Josh Minott was impressive in the Summer League. He looked stronger and showed improvements in his game. Coming into the league, Minott was a raw talent that needed polishing. His most translatable skill was probably his superb athletic ability, but he’s become much more complete on both ends. Minott seems to have gained valuable experience playing in Iowa with Minnesota’s G League affiliate and in his time spent with the main roster.
In Summer League, Minott was an assertive player who rarely showed signs of hesitating when given the ball. While he did have some turnovers, it was nice to see Minott take on a lead role as one of the more experienced young talents the Wolves sent down to Las Vegas. Like Miller, he’ll still have to find some consistency as a three-point shooter, but it’d be a good time to bring Minott into the rotation.
The Wolves had three free agents going into this offseason: Jordan McLaughlin, Monte Morris, and Kyle Anderson. All three have left the organization, increasing opportunities for the young guys to step in. While the Wolves did bring in veterans like Joe Ingles and P.J. Dozier, there needs to be some dependency spread throughout the bench rotation.
Of the young talent, Dillingham seems to be the one that’s promised minutes from day one as the team’s primary point guard off the bench. If anyone was skeptical of Minnesota’s decision to bring young talent into the rotation, Summer League proved that there might be a few “diamonds in the rough” fans will familiarize themselves with as the 2024-25 season unfolds.
