The Minnesota Timberwolves have made back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, but they will need Terrence Shannon Jr. to level up his game to take the next step. The second-year player from Illinois had a solid rookie season. He particularly came on strong late in the season and even made an impact in the playoffs.
The Timberwolves aren't as deep as they were last year, though, so they will need a breakout performance from the guard/forward. So, what about Shannon and his game should make fans expect that a breakout campaign is imminent?
Terrence Shannon Jr. will burst onto the scene in year two
Shannon averaged just 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and one assist per game during his rookie season after the Timberwolves took him 27th overall. Shannon was a game-day inactive for much of the first half of the season, but Chris Finch started to trust him more and more as the season went on.
Eventually, Shannon was relied upon to contribute in the postseason. He even had 35 combined points over Minnesota's final three playoff games. Fellow first-year player Rob Dillingham was never afforded these key moment opportunities. One reason Shannon so quickly earned the trust of his coach was because of his age and experience.
Shannon is already 25 years old. He played five total seasons of college basketball, and he was a key contributor during both his time at Texas Tech and Illinois. Shannon fell in the draft despite being viewed as a play-now prospect, and the Timberwolves were smart to draft him after taking more of a raw player earlier in the form of Dillingham.
Shannon's age and experience meant that there weren't as many growing pains right away as there usually are for rookies. On offense, he knows what to do with the ball in his hands and when he is playing off of the ball. Shannon is also a really good defender who understands the schematics of team defense better than most young NBA players.
With Nickeil Alexander-Walker no longer suiting up for the team, the Timberwolves will rely heavily on Shannon this upcoming season. He will be counted on to fill the defensive void left by Alexander-Walker's departure. He will also need to fill some of the lost scoring production. Shannon is a great slasher and transition player, but he also showed flashes as a 3-point shooter last season.
The Timberwolves had a really impressive top eight players last year. They are a whole lot thinner without Alexander-Walker, but Shannon is the perfect option to take his place in the rotation, and fans should expect a breakout year from the second-year player from Illinois.