The Minnesota Timberwolves have been banging on the door of the NBA Finals for a number of seasons.
They have made the Western Conference Finals two years running, as the Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder last year. The Timberwolves have established themselves as perennial contenders led by superstar Anthony Edwards.
But despite making significant changes to their roster for two consecutive seasons, trading for Rudy Gobert, then trading away Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves need an extra push to go from title contenders to title favourites.
Minnesota has tried its luck in the trade market, but the last two NBA champions, the Boston Celtics and the Thunder, have built from within. So Head Coach Chris Finch has identified a talent drafted by the Timberwolves in 2024 that could be a difference-maker this season.
Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty ImagesChris Finch has been impressed with Terrence Shannon Jr.
Terrence Shannon Jr. was a rookie last season, having been drafted to the Timberwolves as the 27th overall pick.
The 6’6” guard wasn’t a major part of Finch’s rotation, averaging 10 minutes and four points per game, but Shannon Jr. had a number of breakout moments, including a 25-point night against the Los Angeles Lakers and a 17-point double-double against the Thunder.
He was also trusted by Finch in the postseason, playing nine games throughout their playoff run. And with the departure of Nickiel Alexander-Walker to the Atlanta Hawks this summer, the Timberwolves’ head coach believes he can be an important player for the team moving forward.
Playmaking has very clearly been the focus for TJ Shannon this preseason and remains so tonight.
Has passed up several shot/drive opportunities to create better looks for his teammates.
Was fun to see him battle Oladipo on the drive in the 1Q.pic.twitter.com/OcdRuvmxsG
— Jack Borman (@jrborman13) October 14, 2025
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Speaking after Shannon Jr. scored 15 in the Timberwolves’ preseason game against Victor Oladipo’s Guangzhou Loong-Lions, Finch said, “I’ve been really impressed with his preseason so far. His playmaking mindset is exactly what we need. It all starts from his quick decision-making, his ability to get into the paint.
“We are never going to be a top-five pace team. I’m not sure that’s who we can be, but we have moved up when we look at the metrics early on, and even the eye-test, we are playing a little bit faster than we have been, and it’s resulting in quicker decisions too in the half-court.”
Playing with Gobert at center means the Timberwolves are a grit and grind team at heart, but to get the best out of Edwards’ athleticism, they need to get out and run the break wherever possible.
That requires runners in transition, but also a fast-acting guard to push the pace. That’s who Finch thinks Shannon Jr. can be this season.
How playing with Anthony Edwards has helped Terrence Shannon Jr.’s development
The Timberwolves need Shannon Jr. to make a leap and fill the pivotal role Alexander-Walker played on this team last season. Part of that means being a lockdown defender on the perimeter.
Shannon Jr. said that playing with Edwards in practice has seen him take significant strides in that department.
Speaking to reporters during preseason, he said, “I feel like I’m better all around. Just getting used to the speed of the NBA your first year, knowing guys’ tendencies, knowing the defense that we will accept, and certain things that are happening in the flow of the game.
“When you are playing one-on-one with [Anthony Edwards] a lot, it gets you ready for pretty much anybody. He’s a really good scorer. He knows how to move without the ball and with the ball. That was a big focus for me throughout the summer: defense.”
Iron sharpens iron, and Finch will be hoping that is the case with Shannon Jr. this season. He’ll face the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic in the West, and Minnesota needs to be able to rely upon their perimeter defense if they have any chance of matching up with those superstars.