Entering the 2025-26 season, there was only one major projected change in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ rotation. They returned ten of their top 11 players in terms of total minutes, with only Nickeil Alexander-Walker leaving to join the Atlanta Hawks. It was remarkable how much continuity returned to the Wolves, but they still had to find a way to fill the 2,073 minutes Alexander-Walker played across all 82 games.
It would never be easy to replace Alexander-Walker. He was a Swiss Army Knife for the Wolves. His on-ball defense and ability to move around screens entrenched him as a primary option as Minnesota’s point-of-attack defender when he was on the court. Alexander-Walker would frequently pick up opposing guards full court and push the ball out of their hands, and did it with his trademark smile.
Alexander-Walker was just as valuable offensively. His 38.1% from three-point range on 3.0 attempts per game made him an ever-present threat beyond the arc. His ball handling was good enough to earn the responsibility to run offensive sets, often probing inside under the basket before kicking out for three. Jaylen Clark reflected on his value after practice last week.
“Me and Nickeil are close, and I guess he filled a lot of gaps,” Clark said. “We were ranked 5 or 6 the past two years, and I mean, he’s the only person that leaves, and it’s just like, ‘Whoa.’
“I think we’ll be able to get back to it.”
The Wolves have opted to replace Alexander-Walker by giving their in-house players opportunities to grow into the roles. League rules influenced Minnesota’s decision to trade Alexander-Walker. They were pressed up against the second apron, but it was also a chance for three younger players to step up.
Before he injured his foot, Minnesota gave Terrence Shannon Jr. the first opportunity at the minutes Alexander-Walker left behind. Unfortunately for Shannon, it’s hard to fully evaluate his play. In the seven games he played thus far in the season, four of them have been without Anthony Edwards. That has thrust Shannon into a larger role, especially on defense, than he may have expected.
Regardless, Shannon was someone of a mixed bag in terms of success. His defense has been lackluster. He has a team-worst defensive rating of 121.4. He’s also allowing opponents to shoot 45.7% from the field when he is a primary defender, on 4.3 attempts, while he only plays 16.5 minutes per game. That suggests that Shannon is struggling on defense, and teams are targeting him when he’s on the floor.
On the bright side, Shannon’s defensive struggles don’t appear to be effort-related. He plays hard, dives for balls, makes the extra effort, and tries to make the right reads. Theoretically, Shannon is making enough of an effort, and the Wolves are playing better defense as a whole. That should result in Shannon improving when he returns to the court.
While the defense has struggled, the offense has been confusing. Shannon has the lowest field goal percentage (32.1%) and true shooting percentage (43.4%) of any Wolves player playing more than five minutes per game. He also posts the fourth-highest turnover percentage on the team of players playing more than five minutes per game, and just a 1.33 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Offensively, Shannon’s lack of productivity is likely more closely related to stepping out of his ideal role after Edwards went down injured. Shannon has had to take on more facilitating and creating than is ideal at this stage in his career. Again, the hope would be that his offense will naturally improve when Shannon returns.
The Wolves are also giving Clark a shot at Alexander-Walker’s role and minutes. Clark has been much easier to evaluate. In his nine games, only two have been without Edwards, and he has been consistent in Alexander-Walker’s role. He has been excellent defensively, posting the second-best defensive rating on the team, behind only Rudy Gobert among players who play more than 5 minutes per game.
Clark is a former Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, who’s known for his exceptional defense. However, his shooting ability has been a pleasant surprise this season. His 58.3% true shooting is between Donte DiVicenzo (60.7%) and Naz Reid (52.0%) on Minnesota’s roster. He is also shooting 40.0% on threes on 1.7 attempts per game.
He has also been playing largely mistake-free basketball. Clark has a 2.25 assist-to-turnover ratio and has a 7.4% turnover percentage, which is the lowest on the Wolves, regardless of minutes, outside of Joe Ingles, who has not turned the ball over this season.
Admittedly, Clark appears to fit the Alexander-Walker role better. After 11 games, he seems more effective, bolstering defensive pressure and being a net positive on offense. However, Shannon’s upside, given his size and ball-handling, remains intriguing.
Clark’s sample size is admittedly too small to say for sure if the Wolves have replaced NAW’s role, but the Wolves have found something in Clark that theoretically will translate to the playoffs. In Shannon, they have the potential to be dynamic players who can score in bunches and provide high-energy defense.
That creates a unique opportunity for the Wolves. By losing Alexander-Walker, they may have found multiple replacements to expand the roster.
