Following the offseason departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, many people expected Terrence Shannon Jr. to fill this key void for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Alexander-Walker provided a well-rounded impact as an on-ball defender, 3-point shooter, secondary creator, and playmaker. Shannon has the tools to perfectly fill this void, but that's still a lot of responsibility for a second-year wing.
The Wolves have title hopes which adds to the immense importance of Shannon's play this season.
Right now, Shannon seems to be locked into the Wolves' rotation as the eighth man. His gifted abilities as an at-the-rim finisher and high-energy defender make him likely to slide into NAW's role nicely. Plus, at 25, Shannon is more polished than your typical second-year player. Still, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA.
Shannon will have to step up this season
Shannon didn't play much as a rookie, averaging 4.3 points in 10.6 minutes across 32 games. When given the opportunity, Shannon thrived, though, averaging 14.7 points per 36 minutes. More importantly, TSJ proved he could contribute in the biggest moments, racking up 35 points in the last three games of the Western Conference finals.
It's fair to be optimistic about Shannon. I certainly believe he's ready for a bigger role and has a breakout season ahead of him. Furthermore, based on Chris Finch's comments, it looks like he already has a spot in the Wolves' rotation. Nevertheless, giving a second-year player who barely played as a rookie a massive role on a team with title hopes will always have some risk attached to it.
If Shannon struggles (which again I'm not anticipating), the Wolves will likely turn to Jaylen Clark. While Clark can fill some of the defensive responsibilities left behind by NAW, he is purely an off-ball player on offense. As a result, the Wolves are mainly counting on Shannon to fill this backup wing void.
Still, Shannon has a slightly different skill set from Alexander-Walker in the sense that he's a bit more of a self-creator and not as much of a spot-up shooter. Additionally, while Shannon provides defensive energy, he does so more off the ball as a disruptor. His defense leads to offense, though, which can help the Wolves solve their poor transition play. Shannon's playmaking will be somewhat of a swing skill; however, he's shown some positive signs in this regard.
During preseason play, Shannon has posted a well-rounded stat line of 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 45/62.5/72.7 shooting splits. By all accounts, he has shown the all-around impact you'd want from Alexander-Walker's replacement; it will just be a matter of doing so throughout an 82-game season plus the playoffs.
A versatile wing off the bench is a necessity for a team with title aspirations, and Shannon feels ready to fill this void. Ultimately, the Wolves are banking on Shannon to have a breakout season, and he seems primed to do just that.