Minnesota Timberwolves basketball is back! Yes, it’s just preseason, but Monday night marked the first time fans could see the new-look squad play together. The Timberwolves won 116-97 against the rebuilding Milwaukee Bucks.
One of their new players—Cody Williams—is a reclamation project for Minnesota. On a team expecting to make noise in the playoffs again, though, it’s tough to see how Williams can find a regular role in the rotation. It’s only one preseason game, but head coach Chris Finch waiting so long to insert him into the game is a clear indication of what’s to come for the third-year player during the regular season.
More than 32 minutes passed before Williams played
Selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Williams’ first two NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz were rough. His rookie season was disastrous, and while he showed signs of improvement last year, he was atrocious from beyond the arc.
Turning 22 on November 20, Williams was acquired by the Timberwolves in late August in exchange for Josh Green. Minnesota made the trade primarily to shed Green’s salary to afford Jonathan Kuminga, but there’s nothing wrong with taking a flyer on a young former lottery pick.
On Monday, 10 players saw action in the first half for the Wolves. Their well-publicized starting five all started, while Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr., Joan Beringer, Trey Lyles, and Bones Hyland saw first-half minutes off the bench. Those five reserves are all expected to play ahead of Williams, and Monday further confirmed that.
Williams didn’t check in until 3:22 left in the third quarter. Head coach Chris Finch subbed in all three two-way players—Rocco Zikarsky, Zyon Pullin, and Enrique Freeman—along with second-round pick Isaiah Evans and training camp invitee KJ Martin before putting in Williams. Jaylen Clark also started the second half.
Now, Williams didn’t look bad in his 10 minutes on the floor. He had a nice pass to Martin for an easy layup. Later in the fourth quarter, Williams took it all the way to the basket against an unsuspecting Bucks defense for a bucket. Unfortunately, his 3-point shot hasn't come along, as he missed both of his long-range attempts.
The lanky, 6-foot-8 wing's next chance to show out in the preseason comes on Wednesday, when the Timberwolves take on the Indiana Pacers. Four more preseason games await Minnesota after that. Unless Williams truly breaks out in those four contests, he looks to be far down the totem pole once regular-season play begins.
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