Terrence Shannon Jr. is a talented player. There's no denying that. He also feels locked into the top eight of the Minnesota Timberwolves' rotation, at least to start the season. However, figuring out Shannon's exact value and role is tricky. Frankly, I've had trouble doing so since the LaMelo Ball trade.
A big reason why is because he struggles to play off the ball. As such, the Timberwolves have discussed empowering him on the ball. For now, it feels likely that he'll be used as a microwave scorer.
Yet the question remains: Is he good enough on the ball to justify this role? Unfortunately, I lean no. Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Ayo Dosunmu are all better on the ball than Shannon. Heck, you could throw Bones Hyland into this conversation.
If Shannon doesn't take a leap as a creator or improve his complementary skills, then I have to wonder how secure his spot in the rotation is for the whole season.
To empower Shannon as a creator, you need to take away from someone else. And is the juice really worth the squeeze? Sure, Shannon is a force driving downhill, but he can't control himself when driving, is inefficient around the rim, and is overly reliant on his left hand. Shannon ranked in the 79th percentile for rim attempts per 75 possessions, but he shot just 58.3 percent at the rim, which ranked in the 23rd percentile, according to Databallr.
Even Shannon's best trait is a flawed one. As for his all-around game, it's sadly limited. He's not a plus playmaker and has failed to make a regular impact on defense. So far, the Wolves' three preseason games have highlighted both some of Shannon's intrigue and some of my concerns.
Shannon's up-and-down preseason adds to his role uncertainty
Let's start on a positive note. Shannon is coming off a stellar game on Saturday against the Miami Heat. He scored 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Shannon showed off his gifts as a difficult shot-maker and driver.
Perhaps more encouragingly, Shannon made some really strong reads as a passer, including this lob pass to Joan Beringer. Without a doubt, Shannon's playmaking must sharpen up for him to earn increased on-ball duties. He has shown flashes of being a plus playmaker but can also struggle with tunnel vision and hasn't consistently been able to organize an offense.
If Shannon can improve as a playmaker and become a more efficient scorer, then I could see him being a viable on-ball sparkplug.
Still, it needs to be mentioned that this game was against the Heat's reserves. It's great that he put up big numbers, but that should be expected.
Even so, Shannon showcased some of his flaws. Most notably, Shannon remains extremely left-hand reliant. It didn't cost him against Vladislav Goldin at the rim, but what about when it's Giannis Antetokounmpo? Having such a lack of confidence in your off-hand and not having much control around the basket will undoubtedly hurt Shannon in higher-leverage situations.
Honestly, if Shannon had simply shown more comfort with his right hand, and more control around the rim, I'd be able to see the vision with him being empowered on the ball.
Now Shannon has had some good playoff games, which makes his evaluation trickier. Are these high points sustainable over the course of a season when teams are game-planning for you? I don't think so, especially on a team with so many creators.
And in the Wolves' two preseason games where the starters played, Shannon struggled. He averaged just 7.5 points while shooting 33.3 percent from the field. While Shannon is a skilled pull-up shooter, he has struggled on spot-up looks, netting just 33.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s last year. Plus, he doesn't move well without the ball.
In short, when playing alongside more established players, he struggles to defer and offer complementary skills. Regardless, he hasn't definitively shown that he can be an on-ball weapon.
Shannon's defense remains a mixed bag. Frustratingly, he has all the physical tools to succeed, but he doesn't consistently make his impact felt. He isn't a sturdy on-ball defender, he can often be found out of position, and he doesn't force turnovers. Last season, Minnesota's defense was 13.9 points worse per 100 possessions with Shannon on the court, per Cleaning the Glass.
If the roster forces him into a complementary role, it's unlikely he'll thrive, partly due to his defense.
While I'm generally being lower on Shannon, and his limitations are clear, I think he could be a solid microwave scorer on the right team. That's not the skill set that the Wolves need, though.
Unless he reaches another level on the ball or improves his complementary abilities, Shannon's role and future with the Timberwolves feel unclear to me. Without a doubt, he'll need to quickly prove himself in the regular season.
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