Timberwolves Jaylen Nowell: “Definitely got my swagger back.”

The spotlight was on the Minnesota Timberwolves backcourt of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards at Target Center once again. There was another spotlight for backup point guard Jordan McLaughlin, who had just returned to play for the Wolves after a two-month absence. But perhaps there should have been another spotlight as well, as Jaylen Nowell played a complete game, and perhaps the best game of his NBA career, in helping the Timberwolves overthrow the NBA Western Conference leaders, the Denver Nuggets, by a huge margin.

We know that there are more young future NBA stars on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster. We know that Jaden McDaniels has true NBA star potential. We know that the NBA is salivating over the hope of poaching Timberwolves backup center Naz Reid in the upcoming offseason. But what about young wing Jaylen Nowell? After all, he was one of the young players that Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch cited as someone who the team needed to develop this season.

Unfortunately, that is not how the script has been written for Nowell this season. He, much like SG Anthony Edwards, has suited up and played in all 56 games this season. But even in the midst of an injury-riddled season, Nowell has averaged just 19.8 minutes per game. That’s what happens when a player is inconsistent. Sometimes Nowell has the range to score points by the bushel. He’s topped the 20+ point mark four times this season. But in the past two games, he only scored a total of 10 points combined.

On this night, Jaylen Nowell recorded a +/- factor of +35. That is based on just 27 minutes of playing time. He scored 16 points, dished out four assists, and hauled in four rebounds in a contest where he definitely found his range once more.

Nowell is in the last year of his contract and poses quite a challenge to the Timberwolves’ front office. Do they extend him? Or do they part ways at the end of the season, and send those minutes to rookie Wendell Moore Jr.?  One thing is certain, Nowell is making it very difficult to part ways, especially now that he has his swagger back.