Pelicans’ newest signing is proving Timberwolves’ depth
By Will Eudy
While the first game of the regular season may not have gone according to plan, there is still plenty of reason to be optimistic about the Minnesota Timberwolves this year. Having Anthony Edwards on the roster alone gives the Wolves a chance to make a deep run in the postseason.
Another factor working in Minnesota’s favor is their depth. The Timberwolves have an immense amount of talent in their locker room, and Head Coach Chris Finch will have a multitude of options to employ on the court with the extensive personnel he has to work with.
There is little doubt that Minnesota upgraded their roster over the summer and improved on an already deep group of players. But those moves were emphasized recently when it was announced that the New Orleans Pelicans had signed former Wolves guard Matt Ryan.
The Pelicans signed the Timberwolves’ newest waived player
The newest player to be waived by the Timberwolves, Matt Ryan joined the Pelicans on a two-way deal. He was previously on a two-way contract in Minnesota, before being waived on October 20 to make space for Daishen Nix.
Immediately after arriving in New Orleans, Ryan had an excellent outing in the Pels’ first game of the regular season. He made three threes in 14 minutes while shooting 50% from behind the arc. It was this shooting skill that forced the Timberwolves to keep him around as long as they did.
His immediate impact in New Orleans points directly to how deep the Timberwolves’ roster is. Minnesota could have likely still used Ryan’s sharp shooting at various points throughout this season, but there simply was not a spot for him any longer.
Wolves fans can be encouraged at the fact that other teams are wasting no time in picking up Minnesota’s leftovers.