This off-season has been one of the most memorable in Minnesota Timberwolves history. An under-the-radar signing in Melo Trimble could end up being an important addition to the Wolves’ bench.
One of the most underrated moves that the Wolves may have made was the signing of former Maryland guard Melo Trimble. Trimble was one of the most electrifying college players in his freshman year at Maryland.
He averaged 16.2 points per game as a freshman with the Terrapins while shooting 44 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point land. At the time, Trimble was a player with plenty of buzz who had even been selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. He was projected as an early second-rounder, and maybe even a late first-round pick.
Unfortunately, he would not declare for the draft after his freshman year and he’d go on to play two more years at Maryland. Sadly, like in many cases, Trimble would not improve and his play would digress.
This would lead to Trimble declaring for the draft after his junior year at Maryland and eventually going undrafted. While Trimble may have not been drafted, it doesn’t mean he is a bad player in any sense.
The Timberwolves only have two point guards on their roster in Jeff Teague and Tyus Jones. The addition of Trimble adds much-needed depth to the Wolves lack of point guards.
Trimble most likely won’t see many regular season minutes but he adds a much-needed insurance policy to the thin Wolves back court. If Trimble gets his chance he can add a spark off the bench for the Timberwolves.
When he’s playing at his best, Trimble has shown that he can be a dynamic scorer and a crafty playmaker as well. Most recently, he averaged 10.3 points for the Sixers summer league team. And while that scoring average may not be the most impressive, it does show that he can put the ball in the basket.
That is a very valuable trait, especially for role players in the NBA. Trimble has not only shown that he is a prolific scorer but he also has shown that he can be a great leader, as well as being able to step-up in the clutch.
Trimble isn’t the missing piece that the Wolves need, but his ability to score and leadership makes him a very valuable asset to this team. If he gets his chance he has the possibility of being an impactful player on the Wolves roster, but as of right now it seems that he’s third in line behind Jones and Teague.
Next: Scott Roth to coach Iowa Wolves, plus FA Notes
Don’t be shocked if we see Trimble leading the Iowa Wolves, the Timberwolves’ G-League team to victory in the meantime.