The Timberwolves need wing help, and it’s already on their roster

The Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled desperately to find suitable reserve wing players that will help their playoff push. The answer may already be on their roster.

The long, hard grind of the NBA season is slowly but surely cranking into gear, and it is now that increased production can start to be valued as a real change, instead of the classic ‘small sample size’ excuse used in the earliest parts of the season.

Another factor that can be considered now is how small, early-season slips have become increasingly worrying trends. Shabazz Muhammad, unfortunately, falls under the latter category.

Muhammad, despite his energetic nine-point ‘outburst’ in Wednedsay’s win over the San Antonio Spurs, has been spiraling downward this season. Bazz can’t find the bottom of the hoop, and his defense has been vein-popping for coach Thibodeau, who has steadily decreased Muhammad’s minutes. Oh, and his only 3-point make this season came in the aforementioned Spurs win.

Advanced statistics wise, Muhammad is currently bordering on flat-out unplayable, hence the minutes drop.

Finding wing depth via trade may be difficult, especially with the Timberwolves proven reluctance to give up its first-round pick (via OKC) in any deals for wing help (specifically, for C.J. Miles) this summer. The Timberwolves decided to keep their pick, and Miles proceeded to sign with the Toronto Raptors.

Jamal Crawford was brought in instead, and in spite of his shaky shot selection and occasional ‘chucker’ mentality. Crawford, however, has been crucial this season in stimulating a Wolves bench that has long needed a scoring spark, at least to this point.

Yet, according to NBA Stats, the Timberwolves still rank 22nd in the NBA in bench net rating. Crawford helped, but the Wolves need more wing depth if they are to compete in the Western Conference bloodbath.

The Timberwolves could look high and low for wing help, but they may just have the wing help they require lying in waiting, on their team already.

Anthony Brown, who signed the Timberwolves first official NBA two-way contract this summer, a new stipulation in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that allows a team’s G-League players to spend up to 45 days in the NBA.

Brown is a player that could certainly make a difference this season.

Anthony Brown was the 34th pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2015 NBA Draft, and played just 13 games over his two seasons in LA.

He’s had a fantastic start for the freshly-minted Iowa Wolves G-League team, showing his NBA-ready potential in the process.

At 6-foot-7, Brown projects to have the length and quickness to guard NBA small forwards, but his light 224-pound frame makes him susceptible to bigger, stronger wings at the NBA level.

With only 45 days to make his mark in the NBA, the 25-year-old’s 2017-18 potential is limited, but he is still looking like a genuine option for Coach Thibodeau to replace Muhammad, even if it is for a short time.

You can see in just the short, one-game, highlight reel from the Iowa Wolves recent loss the shine that is on Brown’s game. He shows his ability to penetrate, run pick-and-roll, shoot and pass.

Brown’s 3-point ability — he shot over 60 percent on his 14 attempts in LA, for what it’s worth —  along with his long, athletic frame will give him a great shot at being a decent ‘3-and-D’ wing in this league. If he can get his chance, that is.

But there is more potential hidden gold to be found right under our noses, in the form of Marcus Georges-Hunt. And this time there are no restrictions, although there’s likely less upside.

The 23-year-old undrafted talent out of Georgia Tech signed a partially-guaranteed contract this summer for his second go-round in the NBA after five games with the Orlando Magic last season.

At 6-foot-5, Georges-Hunt isn’t the most gifted athlete to come in and fill the role of backup small forward for the Wolves, but he may just have the talent. And with his contract, the hard-nosed coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau seems to agree.

Thibs event subjected him to a (cruel) last-second defensive assignment on Carmelo Anthony in the Wolves early season win over OKC.

You don’t get many better ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moments than that.

MGH spent four years at college, with his final year yielding over 16 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game, although his 32.9 percent 3-point mark is probably one of the main reasons he hasn’t replaced Shabazz Muhammad yet.

But his above-average 102.2 college defensive rating will hold him in good stead for an eventual rotation place. Especially considering Muhammad’s inability to hold his own on that end of the floor.

The Timberwolves coaching staff relegated Georges-Hunt to their G-League affiliate for just the one game this season, when the schedule allowed for a quick deviation from Georges-Hunt’s normal travel schedule with the big club.

MGH showed quickly that he was too talented to be in the NBA’s minor leagues, posting 34 points, 4 rebounds and a block over 39 minutes of play.

Again, with MGH, you can see from just a small sample size what his NBA strengths are: penetrating the paint for easy (and contested) layups.

But Georges-Hunt clearly shows — albeit in cliched small sample size fashion —  that he is potentially a willing defender and improved spot-up 3-point shooter.

Anthony Brown and Marcus Georges-Hunt are two players in very different circumstances, but a few things remain true for both of the young men: they both have the talent to play in the NBA, and they have a at least a small chance to play valuable minutes this season for the Timberwolves.

Next: Breaking down the Timberwolves pick-and-roll offense

Whether Tom Thibodeau will be persuaded enough by Shabazz Muhammad’s bad play might be a question for another time, however.