Unsurprisingly, Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Isaiah Evans hasn't seen much meaningful court time so far in his young career. With the Timberwolves having a mini three-day break until Thursday and the G League back in action, they assigned Evans to the Iowa Wolves.
Iowa plays two games before Minnesota's next game on Thursday. After that, Iowa won't play for another six days, so it's possible, perhaps even likely, that Evans is recalled. I wouldn't expect this to be his only G League assignment, though.
The bigger picture is that the No. 33 pick needs more in-game reps to develop, and playing in the G League will give him exactly that.
Isaiah Evans can sharpen up his game in the G League
Young players can learn from sitting on an NBA bench, especially on a competitive team like the Timberwolves, and I'm sure Evans has learned. At a certain point, though, you need more in-game reps playing meaningful basketball. Thus far, Evans has received 12 total minutes, all in "reserve time." On a loaded Timberwolves' squad, this isn't a surprise at all, nor would I argue that Chris Finch needs to find minutes for Evans.
Still, Evans needs to improve, and spending time in the G League can help him do just that. While Evans was drafted in the second-round he was widely considered a first-round talent. Likewise, his shooting gave him a plug-and-play skill set. The point is there's a real path for Evans to eventually be an NBA contributor.
However, Evans' play in both preseason and summer league showed the story of a player who had a long way to go. Combining his stats in preseason and summer league, he averaged 8.8 points and shot 26.7 percent from the 3-point range.
Evans' 3-point shot appeared to be a bankable skill heading into the draft, but he hasn't shown this in what we've seen from him in NBA-like settings. I still believe in his shot, and getting some G League reps could help him rediscover a rhythm.
At the same time, Evans needs to work on his shot selection. During both summer league and preseason, he forced the issue by trying to shoot himself out of his slump—this led to some ill-advised shots.
While regaining confidence in his shot will be a start for Evans in the G League, he also needs to work on his all-around impact. Unless you are an elite shot-maker, it's challenging for a player to be an everyday rotation guy simply based on shooting alone these days. Thankfully, Evans showed clear improvement as a creator from his freshman to sophomore year at Duke.
Unfortunately, this improvement wasn't on display during summer league and preseason. Evans' handle wasn't nearly tight enough, and he struggled to create advantages. These skills can improve in the G League, though. Evans' playmaking is another area of improvement—he needs to be more aware of his surroundings and look to make the extra pass.
Furthermore, it's no secret that to play for the Timberwolves, you need to defend. The effort is there for Evans, and he was a solid defensive playmaker in college. Regardless, he needs to show that he can hold up physically on the ball. At 185 pounds, this remains a genuine question.
Overall, if Evans can rediscover his jump shot and find another bankable skill, he'll be in a good spot to eventually earn minutes with the Timberwolves, and the G League is the perfect place for him to sharpen up his skills.
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