What can the Timberwolves expect from new signing Jake Layman?

Jake Layman joins the Timberwolves from the Portland Trailblazers, but why is he a great fit in Minnesota and what does he bring to this roster on the rise?

Jake Layman is the first player to sign a long-term contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves under Gersson Rosas’ new regime, signing a 3-year deal worth $11.5 million in a sign-and-trade deal.

Layman is coming from a Trailblazers team that is used to successful seasons in getting to the playoffs, resulting in a winning mentality that will boost the Timberwolves roster. To acquire the wing player, the Timberwolves have reportedly only departed with a trade exception (for Dario Saric with Phoenix) to sign the 25-year-old. This means that the Dario Saric trade is still paying dividends.

Looking at Layman, he has a lot to offer this new look Timberwolves team. The 6-foot-9 wing is a physical presence that has a lot of useful assets to his game. Appearing in 71 games for the Trailblazers last season, 33 of which he started, Layman was able to be a very reliable contributor to the side in terms of points. In just 18.7 minutes per game, Layman produced 7.6 points per game.

A man with a lot of upside, Layman is a much more impressive shooter when you add his 50.9 percent field goal shooting, especially with 32.6 percent 3-point shooting. This alone is an incredible asset to the Timberwolves roster, considering he shoots a percentage beyond the arc similar to our point guards from last season.

He also managed to get 3.1 rebounds on average last season, with most coming on the defensive end. Coming in alongside his former coach David Vanterpool, he’ll have a familiar face there who knows how to get the best out of him.

Alongside the new signings such as Jordan Bell and Noah Vonleh, Layman gives much-needed depth and quality into the rotation of the lineup. In terms of improvement areas, Layman only has one or two areas of improvement to look at.

His assist return is not great at an average of 0.7 per game, but at 25 he still has time to improve and be a more confident player with the ball in hands. The other area is his defensive IQ. He lacks on the defensive end and struggles in some matchups, which can be a worrying and damaging quality. However, with Vanterpool and the defensive capabilities of the roster, Layman can only improve.

Overall, this is an incredible acquisition for the Timberwolves and he should be able to thrive in his role on the squad. It’s a new look roster but one with lots of potential and excitement surrounding them.