Like the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards, the Minnesota Timberwolves came away from the 2024 NBA Draft with lottery talent and more. Each rookie on the Wolves is talented in their own way, however, they both have questions that they need to address for the coming season. Here is a question that each of the rookies on the Timberwolves has to answer during the 2024-25 NBA season.
One Question For Each Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie
Rob Dillingham
Question: Can Dillingham grow into the backup point guard role for the Timberwolves?
The Minnesota Timberwolves obtained Rob Dillingham, the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for the aforementioned eighth pick. The Kentucky guard is well-known for his talent on the offensive end of the floor. Dillingham is an agile and quick player who can easily score on all three levels. Not only that, Dillingham is also a competent playmaker who can punish opponents with his passing ability. While his Summer League performance did not reflect the quality of player he can be, Dillingham did have his moments. In particular, Dillingham had a fantastic final game at Summer League against the Orlando Magic. He scored an efficient 25 points and dished out 12 assists. In that last game, Dillingham showcased the offensive talent that he possesses.
Dillingham is the type of player the Wolves need as the backup point guard. However, Dillingham still has growing to do and specific areas in his game to improve. As Summer League showed, Dillingham must adjust to NBA-level defenses and take better shots. He needs to further refine his playmaking as he can be turnover-prone at times. Most importantly, Dillingham must improve defensively as he can be abused by opposing offenses. However, if Dillingham can improve in at least some of these areas, there is a clear path for him to obtain the backup point guard role. If Dillingham can grow into the backup point guard role for the Wolves, then they will be even deadlier than they were last season. Furthermore, the playing time will only benefit him in the long run. Regardless, Dillingham must put in the work to earn that spot.
Terrence Shannon Jr.
Question: Can Shannon become a more consistent three-point shooter?
The Timberwolves drafted Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. with the 27th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Shannon is a five-year college player with a talent for scoring. He has a knack for shot creation and can score on all three levels. He knows how to effectively utilize his innate athleticism to slip by defenders to the hoop. Additionally, Shannon has good positional size to play on the wing and plays defense with effort. His performance at Summer League further highlighted his best attributes as a player. He was generally efficient in four games he played and scored in double figures in half of them. He had one game where he scored 25 points with excellent efficiency. Without a doubt, Shannon has a talent for putting the ball in the hoop.
However, while Shannon can score on all three levels, he isn’t the best shooter from beyond the arc. In college, Shannon’s three-point percentage was always inconsistent on a year-by-year basis, despite being broadly efficient his last year. He needs to improve to be a more consistent three-point shooter if he has any hopes of playing time this coming season. While he isn’t the best defender, he won’t be a total liability on the court. So, it is important for him to be able to provide consistent spacing for Minnesota’s stars like Anthony Edwards or Rudy Gobert. Improving as a shooter will give him the best chance to see the floor and gain a role within Minnesota’s rotation. It is up to him to show that he is capable of being more consistent from deep.
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