The idea of Terrence Shannon Jr. becoming a productive NBA player, particularly on the offensive end, is there. He has showcased excellent scoring ability at times, just not often enough.
Shannon has had two middling seasons in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves after a lengthy stay in college. It’s a pivotal year for him if he would like to have a long tenure with the Wolves, and if he would like to receive regular minutes during the season.
Can Shannon stay in the rotation all season long?
Already 26 years old, Shannon entered the league as an older rookie after five collegiate seasons. That would make it seem like he should have been more NBA-ready than many of the one-and-done prospects.
Thus far, he hasn’t really popped off—at least in the regular season. Shannon needs to get off to a good start in 2026-27 so he no longer has to wonder if and when his number will be called. That hasn't been the case often yet in his career.
Shannon at times has been reliable, but that's been more so in the playoffs. He has reached double figures in scoring during seven of his 18 career postseason games. He even had a three-game stretch against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 playoffs during which he scored 35 points in about 37 minutes.
Otherwise, in 75 career regular-season outings, Shannon has averaged 5.1 points. The two highest-scoring games of his career came late last season, when many key players were sitting out.
Last season, Shannon was sidelined for nearly two months with a left foot injury. Upon returning in late February, he received a few DNP-CDs and made numerous appearances with single-digit minute totals.
Chris Finch has stated that Shannon needs to have the ball in his hands more. The problem is that might not be easy when he’s part of a second unit that also includes Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland. There will also likely be times when Shannon is sharing the court with LaMelo Ball and/or Anthony Edwards.
Those two, along with Joan Beringer, seem assured of being in the rotation to begin the season off the bench. Shannon needs to assert himself over the defensive-minded Jaylen Clark because Finch is unlikely to go 10 deep every game.
Someone like newcomer Cody Williams hasn't lived up to being selected 10th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, but if he takes a step forward, that could also be another player that Shannon needs to earn minutes over. The point is that if Shannon doesn't start the season on a strong note, he could be glued to the bench.
The Wolves have a 2027-28 team option on Shannon that they need to decide on by October 31. At a relatively inexpensive $5.05 million, it should be exercised, but as a team that has been close to the second apron, it can't yet be seen as a certainty until it's done.
Finch may go with deeper rotations to begin the year. Shannon starting the year off strong will ensure that he doesn’t find himself out of the rotation at some point again for the third straight year.
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