3 balloon bursting performances from Timberwolves 1st Summer League game

I: Josh Minott seems a bit pissed, and it shows

Throughout the 2022-23 NBA season, it seemed that a number of players were called upon to deliver to a Timberwolves roster that somehow leaped over power forward Josh Minott. It wasn’t that Minott was bad, he was simply a bit too raw to be thrown to the wolves (pun intended) and compete during meaningful minutes in NBA games.

While the matter never surfaced throughout the season, it now appears that Minott is no longer content to be a stepping stone on the Timberwolves depth chart. While the Timberwolves organization may not have realized it, the fire of competition was smoldering throughout the 2022-23 NBA season in Josh Minott’s soul, and this year, those glowing embers have burst into an open flame.

Sounds like Josh Minott is very focused this season.

Motivated for a larger role on the Timberwolves roster

There is no reason for the Timberwolves to lower the bar. It’s up to Josh Minott to stand up and deliver. Right now, that is exactly what he is doing.

Turning being overlooked into motivation is a great and positive way to channel what could be negative and destructive worries. And the NBA Summer League is very familiar territory for Minott, as it was his dominating performance a year ago that rerouted his Two-Way contract into a standard NBA contract. This year, he is off to an even better start in summer league play.

He was the only player in the game to record multiple blocks. He put up 20 points in the game, second only to Brandon Williams. While he missed two perimeter shots and managed only four rebounds, it’s a clear statement that he wants a more significant role in the Timberwolves roster this season.

And from what I saw, he is just about pissed off enough to get it.