From Naz Reid to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Minnesota Timberwolves have done a great job finding "hidden gem" players who can unexpectedly contribute to the team. And the NBA Summer League is quickly making the Timberwolves' next hidden gem clear: Zyon Pullin.
The 25-year-old guard earned a two-way contract with Minnesota toward the end of last season and appeared in five games with the team. As such, not a ton was expected of him heading into summer league. Nevertheless, Pullin has played some amazing hoops in Las Vegas.
Thus far in summer league, Pullin is averaging 24 points, 7.5 assists and 7 rebounds. He has looked like the best player on the floor in both of Minnesota's games.
While the Wolves no longer have a pressing need for a guard, Pullin has looked every bit like an NBA player through two summer league games. This, coupled with his impressive play in the G League last season and his NBA skill set, could help him earn a standard contract with the Wolves. At the very least, Pullin could be a high-end two-way player who can play minutes in a pinch.
Zyon Pullin looks like a rotational NBA guard
Pullin controls the game like a classic floor general, constantly looking to get his teammates involved, and he has remarkable poise as a ball-handler. Furthermore, Pullin is a proficient scorer at all three levels.
TUFF Z 😤 pic.twitter.com/5FoDfnU0OE
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 9, 2026
The 6-foot-4 guard might not have elite top-end speed (though he's not slow by any means). In any event, Pullin's craftiness and blend of high basketball IQ help him get to his spots at will, all while being able to spot up from beyond the arc. Pullin also fights his tail off on defense and can bother opposing players at the point of attack as a result.
Frankly, Pullin is probably never going to be a starting-caliber player. Regardless, he looks like a productive backup in summer league, and as noted, he was one of the best players in the G League last season.
Pullin has all the makings of a quality third guard, and there's nothing wrong with having a player like that on your roster. Likewise, Pullin is unlikely to earn minutes given the Timberwolves' suddenly loaded guard rotation. In the event of injuries, though, it's easy to see him stepping in and providing solid minutes.
Plus, you always have to be thinking about reshuffling the roster at some level. What if Bones Hyland prices himself out of the Timberwolves' plans next year? In that case, it would certainly be nice to have some insurance with Pullin.
Considering this and the possibility of injuries, Pullin could one day have a path to rotational minutes with the Timberwolves. For a player who went undrafted and was signed to a two-way contract toward the end of last season, earning a rotational NBA role would be a spectacular success.
It might be a multi-year process to get to this point, but Pullin is setting himself up for success with his summer league play. Hopefully, the Wolves can keep him in-house and another team doesn't swoop in to sign him on a standard contract.
As long as the Timberwolves can keep Pullin, he has a strong shot to become the team's next diamond in the rough. Without a doubt, Pullin carving out an NBA role with the Timberwolves is a story that everyone can root for.
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