Following the offseason departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaylen Clark is going to have a big opportunity from the start to show just how much he matters to this Minnesota Timberwolves team.
Of course, when thinking about what this Wolves team can achieve in the coming season, the thoughts of most are going to go directly to Anthony Edwards. And that's perfectly logical. Number five continues to rise in the ranks as one of the best players in the association, and how much of a step forward he takes will absolutely play a big part in whether or not Minnesota remains in the mid-tier of contenders or rises up to the higher tier.
But when we consider what the Timberwolves' biggest offseason loss was in Nickeil Alexander-Walker departing the team, we have to consider what players will be stepping up to fill his void as well. Role players can never fill the production of stars, but they're obviously uniquely important to their team in different ways. NAW's impact came through hard-nosed defense and timely shooting, and that's where I believe Clark is set to step in.
Jaylen Clark's defense can change the outlook on this team
If you watched Minnesota last season, you remember that it took half of the season going by before Jaylen truly found his way into this team's rotation. It was a late January game in Phoenix, and Chris Finch rolled with the young guy. He did not disappoint, and Timberwolves fans have been all about him ever since. It didn't make a lot of sense for him to be in the top eight on the roster for minutes last season, but I believe he's set to jump into that category very soon here.
Clark's incredible one-on-one defensive skills, highlighted by lateral quickness and ability to guard multiple positions are why he can really leave his mark very early on this season. Assuming he is afforded a bit of a larger role to begin the year (I'm not sure why he wouldn't be), Jaylen can play a large part in transforming the Timberwolves into one of the best defenses in the league once again.
I believe setting the tone early on is going to be big for Minnesota this year. If you ask me, the best way to do that is by trotting out a strong defender like Jaylen Clark wherever possible to emphasize that the Wolves are going to take their performance on defense seriously this year. There's clearly a path for Clark to shine even more this season, and we shouldn't be surprised if he makes the absolute most of his opportunity.