I think most Minnesota Timberwolves fans have become fond of Jaylen Clark this year. It's hard not to respect his defensive intensity and motor. For a good portion of the season, it seemed like Clark would be a clear mainstay of the Wolves' rotation due to his defense.
However, after trading for Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline, Clark's role with the Wolves going forward seemed limited. Two games into Dosunmu's Wolves tenure, Clark has barely remained in the rotation, playing just under nine total minutes, a notable decline from his 13.1 MPG on the season.
Unfortunately, it seems like a matter of time before Clark is cut out of the Wolves' rotation entirely. This might not be the most exciting story about the Wolves as we near All-Star break but it's certainly worth discussing.
Finding minutes for Clark is difficult
Dosunmu offers similar value to Clark on defense as a high-energy point-of-attack stopper. Yet, he's far more advanced on offense, as a shot creator, ball-handler, and 3-point shooter. As such, it's hard to find minutes for Clark.
In addition to Dosunmu's emergence, second-year wing Terrence Shannon Jr. seems primed to return after the All-Star break. While Shannon has been unproductive, when he's been healthy, he's been in the rotation. Thus, it's fair to expect Chris Finch to give Shannon another chance, which will come at the expense of Clark.
Mike Conley is primed to officially return to the Wolves soon, adding yet another player who could compete with Clark for minutes.
The point is for the rest of the season, it looks like Clark won't have much of a role with the Wolves.
There's no denying that Clark's defense has been a massive positive for the Wolves throughout the year. He's a fantastic on-ball defender who mirrors perimeter players on the ball at an elite level. Notably, he is holding opposing players to just 41.8 percent shooting from the field. Throughout the year, this has helped take the pressure off Jaden McDaniels, and he has given the Wolves' bench so much-needed energy.
Nevertheless, it's hard to deny that Clark is limited offensively. He is averaging just 3.8 points and 0.6 assists on 42.5/28.6/62.7 shooting splits. Clark's blend of poor shooting, limited self-creation, and playmaking makes it difficult for him to earn consistent minutes.
On the bright side, Clark is still young, the 24-year-old is in his second playing season (missing his first year with an Achilles injury). I won't give up on Clark blossoming into a quality rotational player. His defense is already there, and if his offense ever catches up, we could be looking at a fantastic role player.
Still, for the time being, it looks like Clark will have to wait to establish himself as a real contributor.