Who is the pass-first Timberwolves point guard? D’Angelo Russell

Next year expectations

So how will D’Angelo Russell handle the upgrade of the team’s starting roster? Well, in a word? Beautifully.

While Russell will be surrounded by top NBA talent, the new lineup will actually align with Russell’s many strengths. According to B-Ball Index’s playmaking metrics, Russell ranked in the 90th percentile in nine of the 11 categories.

Visual evidence supports these statistics. Carving up defenses with easy-to-handle dump-off passes, skip passes, and off-hand passes out of the pick and roll. Dlo got it done in a multitude of ways last year in the regular season. Becoming even more of a playmaker for others can take this team to a different tier offensively.

Dlo has excelled playing alongside 7-foot big men with large catch radiuses– see Jarrett Allen in his time in Brooklyn. Russell is a master in the pick and roll; expect to see him and Gobert working in unison.

2022-23 is a contract year for the Timberwolves’ offensive conductor. Will he continue to grow as a pass-first floor general; proving that he’s best suited to be the Timberwolves’ point guard for the future? Because that’s what this team needs.

You don’t need to focus on scoring with a roster that has Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. That will come. Those players can fill it up in bunches. Defensively, Gobert and Jaden McDaniels will terrorize opponents at the rim. With a solid bench and great coaching, the Timberwolves should be optimistic about the upcoming season. Russell continuing to grow as a playmaker for others and truly embracing being a pass-first point guard can speed up the *winning* timetable.