Through his first few preseason games with the Boston Celtics, Josh Minott has made the Minnesota Timberwolves look silly for letting him go. The young forward has been a great fit in Boston and looks primed to be a part of their rotation during the regular season, yet the Wolves simply let him walk in free agency.
Perhaps Minott wanted to leave Minnesota in favor of earning more opportunities, but even if that’s true, the Wolves didn’t play him enough to learn how valuable he can be. Now, he’ll have a chance to make a significant impact in Boston while the Wolves watch from afar.
And it may make them regret letting Minott walk.
Why could the Wolves regret losing Josh Minott?
The Celtics lost a ton of pieces this summer. Not only is Jayson Tatum out for the year while he recovers from his Achilles rupture, but Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet are all gone, whether it be due to either second-apron-induced trades or free agency.
As a result, the Celtics were forced to piece their team together over the summer. They still have a bunch of the same pieces in place, but one of the guys they got as a potential bench guy was Minott.
And though, at first glance, Minott’s lack of a consistent three-point shot didn’t seem like a solid fit with how the Celtics play, he’s been a great addition to the lineup.
Minott’s three-point shot hasn’t been amazing, though he did make a couple of shots against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he’s been doing so many other positive things on the court.
His rebounding has stood out the most. Joe Mazzulla has made it a point to emphasize rebounding, especially defensive rebounding, and Minott has been helping lead that charge. He’s also been a pest on the offensive glass, crashing well from the corners.
Plus, his defensive length and constant intensity seem to have put him in the good graces of Mazzulla and the Celtics’ coaching staff early on.
The Wolves have a bunch of young wings and forwards. Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark stand out, and obviously, Jalen McDaniels is going to lead the way. But with the way Minott has played during the preseason, it’s clear that he can impact winning at the NBA level.
Minnesota will be looking to make its third-straight Western Conference finals appearance this year, and Minott is looking like he could have been a helpful piece to have on board.