Terrence Shannon Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
We are just one week away from the Minnesota Timberwolves opening their 2025-26 season in Portland against the Trailblazers. Chris Finch has taken his team to the Western Conference Finals each of the past two seasons, and he’d love to get over the hump this time.
President Tim Connelly is running back largely the same roster, but someone will need to absorb the minutes for departed role player Nickeil Alexander-Walker. It appears as though Terrence Shannon Jr. will get the first crack, and he could emerge as a significant talent.
Terrence Shannon Jr. in for serious MN Timberwolves minutes
It was always assumed that last season would be the final for Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a Minnesota Timberwolves jersey. He earned a payday and will now assume a bigger role with the Atlanta Hawks. That presented opportunity in Chris Finch’s rotation and the Star Tribune’s Chris Hine sees Terrence Shannon Jr. taking hold of it.
The exit of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and his 25.3 minutes per game, to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason meant a larger slice of the minutes pie was now available to younger players like Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark. Coach Chris Finch has also discussed the need to expand his rotation to nine or 10 players on a given night.
To hear Finch discuss it after Tuesday’s practice, it sounds as if Shannon has latched onto that eighth spot in the rotation thanks to his postseason performance and how he has attacked the preseason.
“I think he solidified that eighth spot last year in the playoffs,” Finch said Tuesday. “… Those last spots are always going to be situational. We’ve seen what Jaylen can do on a nightly basis, too. But between those guys, Joan [Beringer] and Rob, it’ll all be situational. And of course, injuries are going to help determine some of that.”
More than any Wolves player, Shannon is wired to play in transition on offense. This is a stylistic shift the Wolves are trying to make — to go from one of the slowest-paced teams in the NBA to middle of the pack, at the least.
“That’s where I’m at my best, in transition,” Shannon said. “In an open gym, everybody loads up or tries when I get the ball. So I’ve been just working on different parts of my game, learning other ways to score, but that’s something I look to do, get the ball up, get stops and push it in transition.”
Star Tribune
Minnesota needs someone to step into the backup point guard role, but it’s Shannon that has positioned himself to see some serious minutes off the bench. As Finch notes, he made the leap initially during the playoffs, and that experience can only help as the regular season begins.
Last season Shannon played in 32 games for the Timberwolves and drew one start. In 10.6 minutes per game, he averaged 4.3 points. Those totals should rise dramatically this season, and Finch noted that he could run the point in certain situations.
While the game hasn’t exactly slowed down enough to where fellow first round pick Rob Dillingham can succeed, it is Shannon that continues to impress. If Minnesota is going to take the next step this season, they’ll need both to show they can compete, but Shannon may flash even more than that.
Mentioned in this article: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Terrence Shannon Jr. More About: Minnesota Timberwolves