Can the Minnesota Timberwolves rely on backup PG Jordan McLaughlin?
By Bret Stuter
Put me in coach, I’m ready to play
But his positives include more than a laser-sighting accuracy to his shots. He was a defensive flash point, holding Golden State Warriors Steph Curry to 10 of 24 shooting in a March 2022 victory. If the Timberwolves are going to win in the 2022-23 season, then the team will need much more defense from McLaughlin going forward.
Coach Finch loves the young man. And why shouldn’t he? He can score, and he can defend the court, even out at the perimeter which will be critical for the Timberwolves with a rim protector like center Rudy Gobert.
But more than that, McLaughlin runs an up-tempo pace that is nearly as rapid as that of D’Angelo Russell. And it’s that pace-setting speed that has combined with his defense and accuracy to give the team’s coaches and front office execs enough trust to promote him.
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So how well can he distribute the basketball? Well, that should not be a problem for the fifth-ranked All-Time PAC-12 Assists leader. So as he comes off the bench, he should rapidly improve his assists stat. Over time, he could be pretty good.
It won’t happen instantly. This is a new roster, and players will need time to gel. Bench players will need even more time to get into the groove, as their game minutes will fluctuate and will not pile up nearly as quickly as the starters. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Younger players off the bench need a slower development curve, allowing coaches to intervene to emphasize positives and coach the player away from negatives. McLaughlin, despite entering his fourth NBA season, is still young.