When Nickeil Alexander-Walker exited for the Atlanta Hawks this offseason, it created an open slot in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ rotation. It was clear that the organization valued second-year wing Terrence Shannon Jr. highly, but he would have to earn his spot.
Shannon had a tumultuous rookie season. He played in the G League, had to work through multiple injuries, and did not receive consistent playing time. Although he made an impact in his playoff opportunities, scoring 15 points in Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and 11 points in Game 4.
So far in the preseason, Shannon has shown enough to earn Alexander-Walker’s vacated rotation spot.
Shannon is a very different player from Alexander-Walker, who thrived as a simple three-and-D player, an archetype that is easier to replace. However, what Shannon can potentially offer the Timberwolves could be more impactful in the future, especially considering what they are currently missing offensively.
“What’s asked of me was just go out, play hard,” Shannon said on media day. “I tried to perfect in that. Whatever I’m asked and what role I’m given, that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
Media day can be nothing but positivity and optimism, and what Shannon described is a bit cliché. Still, Shannon has a clear mindset. He wants to do whatever he can, in whatever role is given to him, to impact winning with Minnesota.
Part of it ties back to Shannon’s experience with winning in college. Shannon played 146 games in college, and his Texas Tech and Illinois teams combined for a 96-50 record.
Shannon, 25, is an older second-year player, but the maturity on the court is evident.
Shannon’s poise has stood out the most during the preseason. He will need time to become more efficient and refine his game. Still, his baseline impact and understanding of what is required of him stand out.
Chris Finch already has a good blueprint for how he plans to utilize Shannon’s talents, which makes it easier to rely on Shannon and buy into his success.
It is much easier to project minutes for Shannon over his playing time competition, Bones Hyland or Rob Dillingham, because the role is much simpler and defined with Shannon.
Last season, Finch would consistently use Shannon on actions that gave him pace downhill, allowing him to use his dominant left hand. While Finch relied on the same set, multiple actions were required to get Shannon to a comfortable point.
Finch tailored Shannon’s usage around his strengths, allowing him to showcase other areas of his offensive game. For example, when Shannon drove into the paint, he consistently made good decisions with the ball. His flashes of playmaking, whether it was a dump-off to a big or a kickout to a shooter, were impressive given how fast he moves with the ball.
Good example of that here.
TJ is just shot out of a cannon off the catch. Bad defense from Peyton Watson, but TJ's explosiveness gives him enough to where defenses cannot sag off because him with a head of steam is dangerous.
Also good Beringer OREB. https://t.co/vptO1ypN6D pic.twitter.com/Xjtk0WKvF0
— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) October 5, 2025
Shannon’s knack for keeping his head up while barreling between traffic has followed him to this year’s preseason, where he has flashed a lot of the same movements. His playmaking was also a standout trait of his in this year’s Summer League games.
Shannon’s impact is layered. He has the structure in place, and he has grown within that role. What has impressed most about Shannon is his ability to take advantage of his defenders, especially when he plays out of the corners off the catch.
He doesn’t yet have the reputation of a good shooter in the NBA. Therefore, Shannon’s matchup often sags off him and forces him into three-point attempts. Shannon has shown the ability to hit corner threes, as he shot 40% in limited attempts last season. Still, if the defender gaps too far away from him, it can create just as many issues for his defender.
When Shannon gets momentum downhill because his matchup is too far away from him, it puts the defender at just as much of a disadvantage as if they were pressing him at the three-point line. Therefore, his matchup must find the perfect balance between not being too close to where Shannon can blow by, while also not sitting too far back to allow Shannon to have the downhill advantage and potentially catch the defender on his heels.
Shannon doesn’t have nearly enough pedigree or skill to be on the level of Amen Thompson or even Giannis Antetokounmpo in this facet of the game. Still, he can also be an aggressive, twitchy, athletic driver who can manipulate his matchup downhill in similar ways.
It’s difficult for inconsistent shooters to find their niche in today’s NBA, especially with non-Bigs, but Shannon has a route to success. A consistent three-point jumper would only be another weapon, not a necessity.
The most important thing with Shannon’s game is that he can still be a dynamic player as a corner sitter. For a couple of years now, it has been challenging to find the right on-ball reps to develop Jaden McDaniels‘ offensive skill set. When he sits in the corner, it forces him to become a spot-up player, and he doesn’t produce as much as he could.
What Shannon can offer the Timberwolves is that he can do everything he would potentially produce on the ball, while still doing it from his corner role. Part of it has been smart design by Chris Finch, but a lot of it has been because of Shannon’s traits as a downhill driver.
Ultimately, Terrence Shannon Jr. has taken advantage of his circumstances, accepted his role, and is poised for a bench role with the Timberwolves this season. He still has room to grow as he finds more consistency as a three-point shooter, continues to turn his energetic play into good defense, and is not too reliant on his left hand for dribbling and finishing.
However, Shannon displays a distinct dynamic compared to the rest of the Timberwolves roster, outside of Anthony Edwards. Even with the adjustment of playing an entire NBA regular season on a talented team, there are still numerous opportunities for Shannon to impact the team’s winning efforts positively.