Heading into the season, it was widely expected that Terrence Shannon Jr. would be the main player to fill the void left behind by Nickeil Alexander-Walker. I certainly believed that TSJ was going to fill this void and have a massive season. So far, though, it's been Jaylen Clark who has looked closer to the Wolves' NAW replacement.
Now, if you're looking at the raw counting stats, you might be confused. Clark is averaging 14.9 minutes, 4.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.4 assists on 43.2/34.9/65.4 shooting splits. Shannon, meanwhile, is averaging 13.6 minutes, 5.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 41.5/41.7/76.2 shooting splits.
However, Clark is far more impactful as a defender. For reference, via Cleaning the Glass, Clark has a minus-6.1 defensive on/off swing, which ranks in the 81st percentile, while Shannon has a plus-15.9 defensive on/off swing, which ranks in the 1st percentile. Clark impacts winning at a high rate, as evidenced by the Wolves' 12-0 record when he plays 14-plus minutes.
Timberwolves fans are (understandably) begging for Clark to have a bigger and more consistent role, which in turn could negatively impact Shannon's minutes.
Clark's emergence makes Shannon's role unclear
Giving Clark a bigger role without impacting Shannon's minutes is challenging. Likewise, Rob Dillingham's minutes could take a hit as well. With Clark and Shannon being wings, though, they are more naturally competing for minutes.
Saturday's game is a perfect example of this. Clark got 16 minutes, but TSJ got just five. In fact, over the last three games, Shannon is averaging 7.3 minutes to Clark's 15.3 minutes. During these past three games, Clark has also averaged 8.7 points. Clark's emergence puts the Wolves in a clear predicament.
Where Chris Finch and the Timberwolves go from here is a crucial yet difficult question. Shannon was a 2024 first-round pick who has shown some fantastic flashes in summer league, preseason, and even in the Western Conference finals.
However, Shannon has been mightily inconsistent this season. His 18-point game against the Oklahoma City Thunder remains a bright spot. Shannon also scored 10 points against the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, he has scored fewer than three points eight times.
Shannon missed nine games with a foot injury and has received sporadic minutes, which may have contributed to some of his bad games. Still, given that Shannon hasn't performed defensively and has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, he needs to provide scoring production while he's on the court.
As teams have prepared for Shannon more his lack of a right hand has become a glaring flaw. This is especially concerning given that Shannon is 25 (older than Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels) and spent five years in college.
I just do not know what to do w/ TJ Shannon ATM pic.twitter.com/oHRHPsFDof
— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) December 7, 2025
The idea of Shannon is still enticing
There's no denying, though, that Shannon could carve out a role and be an extremely valuable rotational player. He attacks the rim with a rare blend of size and strength. Shannon especially thrives in transition but could also bolster the Wolves' half-court offense. His 3-point shooting has been promising this year as well.
The Timberwolves undoubtedly need Clark's defensive energy. Nevertheless, the Wolves rank 27th in bench scoring and could need a scoring punch that Shannon (in theory) can provide. Yes, the burden of proof remains for Shannon, but I can't quit the idea of him and some of the positive flashes we've seen.
I don't think the Wolves should punt on Shannon just yet. At the same time, with Clark (rightfully) getting more minutes, Shannon's already limited minutes are likely to be reduced.