Fans tuning in to Saturday’s preseason game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat may have expected star power: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert for the Wolves; Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, and Klay Thompson for the Heat.
Instead, they all sat out. While disappointing, it’s always fun to watch the non-stars get more opportunities and see who excels with their extended playing time. One player who did so for Minnesota was Zyon Pullin.
Pullin has looked like an NBA player before, just one who hasn’t secured a standard contract. Can he become a rare two-way player for the Timberwolves who makes an impact at the NBA level this season?
Pullin takes advantage of more floor time
With the Timberwolves’ entire starting lineup, plus Ayo Dosunmu, sitting out, Pullin saw almost 28 minutes of game action in Saturday’s 125–124 victory over the Heat.
It wasn’t a perfect game for the 25-year-old guard—he had one assist and four turnovers—but it was certainly a good one. Pullin finished with 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting. He got to the free-throw line frequently and took advantage, going 8-of-8.
Finishing with one assist is a bit deceiving, as the 6-foot-4 guard moved the basketball to keep the offense humming. His dime came on a nice bounce pass. Pullin went 5-for-6 in the final stanza, with many attempts coming close to the basket as he put constant pressure on Miami’s defense.
Through Minnesota's first three preseason games, Pullin has played well. He also looked great in the summer league, so much so that announcer and former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy said in July that he’d be “shocked if Zyon Pullin isn’t on an NBA roster this year.”
It looks as if Pullin won’t start the year on a standard deal. He’s still looking for his first standard NBA contract since going undrafted in 2024. Still, Pullin should be on the active roster most nights, and Finch should put him on the floor, especially if the team needs a spark.
Should get more time than Johnny Juzang did
For much of last season, Minnesota’s three two-way players were Johnny Juzang, Rocco Zikarsky, and Enrique Freeman.
Juzang was the only one who mostly stayed with the Timberwolves, but he only saw garbage-time minutes. Instead of elevating him to a standard deal after he reached the maximum number of games allowed for a two-way player with the NBA club, Minnesota waived him.
Zikarsky didn’t make his NBA debut until February 22. Freeman’s came on February 8. The two played in only nine games combined with the Timberwolves during the 2025–26 season.
After an excellent season in the G League last year, Pullin signed a two-way deal with the Timberwolves in March. He appeared in five games with Minnesota, totaling 23 points and nine assists over 43 minutes.
The Timberwolves currently have one open roster spot. Pullin could take the Juzang role and be on the active roster in most games for Minnesota. Cracking the rotation won't be likely to start the season, but Chris Finch shouldn’t be concerned about putting Pullin in when the team is shorthanded. His upside also looks to be higher than Juzang's, and Pullin wouldn't look out of place playing regular minutes.
Then Minnesota could either elevate Pullin to a standard deal once he reaches 50 active games with the Timberwolves or go the Juzang route again.
Pullin has looked like an NBA player for some time now. Juzang did too at times, though, in his limited minutes last season. Last season, Juzang, Zikarsky, and Freeman combined for just 168 regular-season minutes. Without question, Pullin should see more than that by himself.
Add us as a preferred source on Google