Timberwolves Summer League awards: MVP, best rookie, and more

Summer League MVP: Leonard Miller

Shocker. The best veteran is also the Summer League MVP. The Canadian wing's final averages were 16.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks, and 1.2 turnovers per game. He held percentages of 50.7 percent from the field, 30.0 percent from three, and 60.0 percent from the charity stripe. Also, something to take note of, more than half of Miller's rebounds came on the offensive end (4.4 per game).

As referenced on the last slide, the 6-foot-10 forward got better each game. His best game came against the 76ers on July 16. Miller scored 22 points, grabbed 13 rebounds (eight offensive!), and swatted two shots.

Miller is such a unique player. He played center for the Summer League squad, but he's more of a power forward. At 6-foot-10, Miller is rangy yet mobile. He can be used as a short-roll playmaker, pick-and-pop screener, and in the dunker spot. The forward's versatility was on full display during the summer and will likely bleed into the regular season.

Even though he played out of position, Miller's confidence shined through. He's realistically a consistent jump shot away from becoming a quality 15-20-minute-per-game player in the NBA at 20 years old. Although he shot just 30.0 percent from beyond the arc, his three-point percentage was better than every starter sans Dillingham.

As for Miller's competitors for the award, Minott, Nix, and even Dillingham deserve shoutouts, Terrence Shannon Jr. was the second-most impressive Timberwolf. If the former Illinois wing were 19 or even 21 years old, he might have gone in the top five. His decisiveness, athleticism, and physicality were immediately evident and are poised to translate to the regular season. If a toe injury didn't knock Shannon out, he likely would've come away with the hypothetical award.

Honorable Mention: Terrence Shannon Jr.