Terrence Shannon Jr. entered the year with high expectations. Unfortunately, he underperformed and wasn't the Nickeil Alexander-Walker replacement that the Minnesota Timberwolves hoped he'd be. In fairness, a foot injury certainly contributed to his shortcomings.
Nevertheless, lately Shannon has been showing promise when called upon, and this has me convinced that he can be a rotational player for the Wolves next year. This is especially the case as the Wolves are leaning into a faster-paced style, which suits Shannon nicely.
On Wednesday night, Shannon exploded for a career-high 33 points during a loss against the Orlando Magic. With the sixth seed locked up, the Wolves might continue to rest players in the last two games of the regular season, thus paving the way for TSJ to have a bigger role. He also had a quality 10-point game against the Detroit Pistons last week.
The bigger picture is, though, that Shannon's skill set is still valuable for the Wolves.
Terrence Shannon Jr. can still be a key contributor for the Timberwolves
Wednesday's game was the perfect example of how the Illinois product can help the Wolves. Shannon was attacking the rim with great force, which was a real boon to both the Wolves' half-court and transition offense. Plus, he hit five self-created 3-pointers.
Having a sparkplug scorer like Shannon off the bench could be highly beneficial next season.
The Wolves rank in the top 10 in pace this season as they have finally leaned into their collective speed. TSJ plays at breakneck speed and has the potential to be a dynamic transition scorer, which could allow the Wolves to double down on this identity next season. As currently constructed, Minnesota could use more wing depth and bench creation, which could give Shannon a clear runway for minutes next year.
There's plenty of uncertainty around the Timberwolves this offseason. One scenario that seems possible, though, is a consolidation trade to open up cap room with Ayo Dosunmu needing a new contract. This, in turn, could open up minutes for Shannon. Even if the Wolves roster generally remains the same (which is unlikely), it wouldn't be shocking if Shannon usurps Kyle Anderson in the rotation.
Most of the discourse about TSJ this season has been around him failing to take advantage of an increased role. Regardless, this is far from the end of the road for Shannon, and his recent play is a great sign for next season.
Ultimately, despite all the noise around Shannon's underwhelming season, he might still be a key part of the Wolves' future after all, particularly given their new focus on pace.