The Minnesota Timberwolves are reeling in the wake of Jaden McDaniels' week-to-week knee injury. While the Wolves' poor offense has been the story as of late (particularly with Anthony Edwards in and out of the lineup), they are also clearly missing McDaniels' point-of-attack defense.
As the Wolves try to right the ship during McDaniels' absence, I think giving Jaylen Clark another shot in the rotation could be logical. Sunday's game against the Charlotte Hornets was the worst example of the Wolves' poor on-ball defense without McDaniels. LaMelo Ball exploded for 35 points, and the Wolves had no answer for him. With the Wolves attempting to build any sort of momentum for the playoffs, their POA defense must improve.
Clark played 11 minutes once Sunday's game proved to be out of reach, and he thrived not just playing high-level defense but also netting all three of his shots from beyond the arc. There's never been a doubt that Clark can provide a boon to the Wolves' defense, but the question has always been whether he could stay on the floor offensively.
I might be overacting to 11 quality offensive minutes, but without McDaniels, I think giving Clark another chance makes a lot of sense.
Jaylen Clark can positively impact the Wolves' defense
To be clear, Clark won't crack the Wolves' playoff rotation or anything. Regardless, during the four remaining regular season games, I think his defense could benefit the team.
Before the trade deadline, Clark was a consistent part of the Wolves' rotation, averaging 13.9 minutes. Since then, he's become a forgotten player yet one who is still valuable in the right context.
His offensive limitations made his removal from the rotation understandable after Ayo Dosunmu's arrival. Still, Clark was one of the Wolves' best defensive players, especially at the point of attack. Notably, he held opponents to 43.5 percent shooting from the field and often took on difficult matchups. Clark's stifling defense can boost the Wolves' overall energy.
Perhaps Clark's poor offense proves to be costly at a time when the Wolves desperately need more sources of half-court offense. Nevertheless, as the Wolves struggle as a whole, trying something new feels mandatory in my eyes. And after Sunday's showing, I wouldn't be surprised if Chris Finch gives Clark another shot during the final few games of the regular season.
With the Wolves essentially locked into the sixth seed, these last few games won't be super consequential. However, picking up some extra wins before the playoffs would help the Wolves build some much-needed momentum before the playoffs, and Clark could help contribute to this.