9 Players the Minnesota Timberwolves held onto for way too long
By Will Eudy
8. Jordan McLaughlin (2019-present)
The only player on this list who is currently on the Timberwolves’ roster, Jordan McLaughlin came to Minnesota on a two-way contract in the 2019 offseason. At 6-foot-0, he has always been one of the shortest players in the association.
After a couple of decent seasons, the Timberwolves chose to sign McLaughlin to a three-year, $6.5 million deal in 2021. It was undoubtedly a cheap deal for Minnesota, but keeping McLaughlin around is becoming more and more questionable.
Since his rookie season, nearly all of McLaughlin’s numbers have either gone down or failed to improve. His scoring average and three-point shooting percentage have both decreased with each passing season. McLaughlin does average 3.5 assists for his career, but his playmaking ability is naturally limited due to his height.
As a result, still retaining McLaughlin on the Wolves’ roster is becoming an ill-advised decision at this point. After returning from injury this past season, McLaughlin’s game looked extremely rough, and he failed to score a single point for Minnesota in the playoffs.
Plain and simple, it is past time for the Timberwolves to move on from Jordan McLaughlin. His courage and fight for his small stature is admirable, but he is taking opportunity away from more talented players on Minnesota’s roster.