3 things the Minnesota Timberwolves need to do when the NBA returns
By Jack Borman
#4 – Address the interior, Part II
The ideaI candidate is Jerami Grant, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward currently with the Denver Nuggets. He has a player option for $9.3 million this summer, but will likely opt-out and become a free agent.
Grant has struggled to find his footing in Denver, largely as a result of the stark contrast of the style of play between the Westbrook/George Thunder last year and the Jokic/Murray Nuggets this year.
Because the Thunder were sixth in pace last season and the Wolves have been first in pace post-trade deadline this season, I am going to use Grant’s (and his former teammates’) numbers from 2018-19 in order to make a more accurate comparison. Jerami really excelled in a more up-and-down game, especially on defense, in his first full season as a starter.
Despite Steven Adams being a minus defender in terms of points per 100 possessions and points per 100 halfcourt possessions last season (like KAT has been this season), the Thunder were an elite defensive team with a Grant/Adams frontcourt on the floor last season. They gave up just 106.0 points per 100 possessions (89th percentile) and 93.4 points per 100 halfcourt possessions (65th percentile), while allowing offensive rebounds on just 24.0 percent of opposing teams’ shots (83rd percentile), per Cleaning the Glass.
Arguably the biggest reason why they found success on the defensive end? Limiting opponents’ transition opportunities thanks to having great athletes like Westbrook and Grant on the floor.
Despite playing at a breakneck with Westbrook in the driver’s seat, while that frontcourt was on the floor, the Thunder gave up transition opportunities on just 12.9 percent of defensive possessions (95th percentile) and forced opponents into halfcourt offense on 82.8 percent of possessions (97th percentile).
These are staggering numbers considering Steven Adams, one of the slowest players in the league, was out there on the floor. KAT can quickly cover a ton of ground when he gets going full speed back on defense, which would pair beautifully alongside a guy like Grant.
The 2019-20 Wolves on the other hand? Nowhere close to that level. They allow transition opportunities on 14.9 percent of possessions (44th percentile) and opponents had to run halfcourt sets on just 80.1 percent of trips down the floor (46th percentile).
Minnesota Timberwolves
Playing with pace is the possibly the sharpest double-edged sword in basketball: if you play at a breakneck speed, but turn the ball over a ton and give your opponent transition opportunities, you will struggle mightily on the defensive end. But, if you are able to play quickly on offense and limit turnovers, while keeping your opponent in the halfcourt and forcing turnovers on defense, you could have yourself a really solid team, just like the 2018-19 Thunder.
As a byproduct of playing with pace and having to sprint back on defense frequently, teams who play fast often have to scramble on defense, which makes individual defense incredibly important. Grant is quick laterally, has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and is strong down on the block. This combination allows him to both switch 1 through 5 and play free safety on the back end of the defense, depending on what coverage the defense is in.
During his time as defensive coordinator for the Portland Trail Blazers, Wolves associate head coach David Vanterpool used Mo Harkless, a 6-foot-9 wing with very similar physical attributes as Grant, as a go-to defensive stopper and free safety and had great success doing it with minus defenders in Lillard and McCollum. If the Wolves acquired Grant, they would find themselves in a very similar situation, considering Russell and Beasley are also minus defenders.
With Robert Covington gone Minnesota desperately needs a defensive stopper that can defend at all three levels and Grant would provide just that.
And although the front office seems hell-bent on maintaining offensive spacing, they do not need to always play a one-big system in order to do it. Over the last two seasons, Jerami has shot 39.2 percent on 3.7 3s per game and 40.0 percent on 3.4 3s per game, respectively.
He is also a terrific finisher in the PnR game, both above and below the rim, and can pop out to the 3-point line and drain open looks consistently.
A frontcourt of Grant and Towns would be a wrecking ball on offense but, more importantly, maximize Towns’s – and the team’s – defensive potential.
Next. 5 Timberwolves player having career years. dark
Given his prospects as a two-way true power forward that would immediately raise the Wolves’ ceiling, I would certainly keep an eye on Jerami Grant this summer.