When the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Trey Lyles this offseason, the move received little fanfare. Now in his 11th NBA season, he isn’t in his 12th because he spent last year playing overseas.
While Minnesota spent much of the offseason needing a power forward, it was unclear what role Lyles would have as a minimum-salary signing, especially after the team later added Jonathan Kuminga. In two games, it’s clear he is squarely in the rotation, as he has been for his first 10 years, and he’s looked good on the court.
Lyles has played more than most expected
Perhaps no one should be surprised that Lyles is playing early on in his first year with the Timberwolves. He’s been a rotational piece throughout his career, and that continues in Year 11. Surprisingly, though, the soon-to-be 31-year-old has played slightly more than Joan Beringer in two games.
The 2015 lottery pick didn’t get much production in the season opener, but that changed in Friday’s win over the Orlando Magic. It was great to see Lyles not hesitate to let it fly from beyond the arc. He attempted five 3-pointers Friday and made two. His 3-point accuracy has been all over the place in his career, so if he has one of his better years, Lyles will likely keep playing.
Lyles also looked much more comfortable in the second half on Friday, which explains why Chris Finch showed belief in him early on. The Timberwolves’ rebounding concerns haven’t materialized in the first two games, as everyone has helped out. Lyles grabbed six boards in 16:32 minutes versus Orlando, including two on the offensive end.
Minnesota has faced two big teams to start the year. The Miami Heat have a starting frontcourt of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, with Bobby Portis playing a major role off the bench. The Magic have Wendell Carter, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner all listed at 6-foot-10 in their starting lineup, along with Goga Bitadze playing a large reserve role.
That may have necessitated more minutes for Lyles. He currently has the third-most minutes off the Wolves’ bench, behind only Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr.
Bones Hyland—who only played when the game was no longer in question in the opener and barely saw rotation minutes in Game 2—could be more of an option against more backcourt-heavy opponents.
Finch's trust in Lyles and his high basketball IQ should keep him in the rotation. Perhaps it should have been more widely recognized that he could see time every game, with Minnesota no longer rostering Julius Randle or Naz Reid. Joan Beringer is also inexperienced, and it might not have been realistic for him to soak up all the backup frontcourt minutes to begin the year.
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