Jaylen Clark brings the kind of edge the Timberwolves can always use. He’s a tough, physical defender, the sort of wing who makes life miserable on that end.
But there’s a catch, and it’s a familiar one. Players in that mold - think Isaac Okoro or Matisse Thybulle - can struggle to give enough back on offense.
That’s where Josh Green separates himself. He isn’t Clark’s equal as a defender, but he offers something Minnesota can’t ignore: the ability to make a defense pay if it leaves him alone. He’s not going to dominate the ball, but he can knock down open threes and keep the floor spaced.
That offensive edge may matter a lot in a rotation battle that could come down to one of the two getting steady minutes this season. Green was something of a secondary piece in the trade that also brought LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, but his case is starting to look stronger than it first appeared.
Green is now six years into his NBA career and still just 25 until he turns 26 on November 16. His 2024-25 season with the Charlotte Hornets was unusual in that he became a full-time starter, then saw his playing time drop to a four-year low after Charlotte drafted Kon Knueppel.
Even so, he posted a career-high 42.0 percent from 3-point range. Most of his shot diet came from deep, with 76.2% of his field-goal attempts coming beyond the arc.
And despite the reduced minutes, Charlotte’s on/off numbers were strong with Green on the floor on both ends.
There had been some reporting that his $14.7 million expiring contract could be used in a trade, with a power forward mentioned as a possible target. But for now, it’s looking more and more like Green will be around on opening night. If that’s the case, the real question may be whether he or Clark claims the regular bench role.
Clark, who was brought back this offseason on a three-year deal that pays only a bit more than the minimum each year, is about a year younger than Green and still has to prove his shooting from 2024-25 wasn’t a one-off. He hit 32.7 percent of his threes as a rookie, which lines up more closely with his numbers from his three seasons at UCLA. And for the second straight postseason, Chris Finch didn’t trust him with meaningful minutes.
Green, by contrast, has already been part of a winning playoff rotation. In 2024, he played for the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks, and head coach Jason Kidd kept him in the mix for 18.1 minutes per game during the run and 19.4 minutes per game in the NBA Finals.
There is still a path where one of them starts. Finch and Tim Connelly have both made it sound like Jaden McDaniels will open the year at small forward, which leaves the starting power forward spot undecided. But if both Green and Clark are coming off the bench, Green looks like the safer bet to stay in the rotation, mostly because his outside shot is more dependable.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Suddenly Have The Leonard Miller And Josh Minott Problem
Leonard Miller and Josh Minott barely got a runway in Minnesota before their paths split from the Timberwolves, and both cases have started to look a little more complicated in hindsight. Miller was moved on in the Ayo Dosunmu deal, while Minott had his team option declined last summer, decisions that made sense at the time for a team trying to manage its roster and rotation. Since then, Minnesotas roster has shifted enough that the club could use more forward depth, the kind of minutes those two once seemed destined to fight for.
What makes the situation sting a bit is that both players have shown real signs of life elsewhere. Miller has flashed for the Bulls, and Minott has turned heads with the Celtics and Nets, giving their former team a reminder of what it gave up before either had much of a chance to settle in. For a Wolves frontcourt that has thinned out, the question is less about what happened then and more about what might have been if Minnesota had been able to hold onto either one a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Be Headed For The Painful Move Wolves Fans Wanted
Minnesotas offseason splash with LaMelo Ball has changed the outlook in a hurry, giving the Timberwolves a clear boost while one of their biggest Western Conference rivals has been forced to tread carefully. Denver has mostly stayed quiet, with Marvin Bagley III among the few additions, and the Nuggets decision to match the offer for Spencer Jones has only tightened the financial squeeze around a roster that still looks short on obvious upgrades.
Peyton Watsons restricted free agency remains another piece Denver has to sort through, and the cap math is starting to matter as much as the on-court fit. If the Nuggets want enough room to keep maneuvering, they may have to consider painful salary-dump moves just to stay flexible, which is exactly the kind of pressure Wolves fans were hoping to see build on a contender that cant afford many missteps. [Read more 🡒]
Wolves Came Agonizingly Close To A Franchise Changing Free Agency Stunner
The Timberwolves spent free agency chasing a swing that would have changed the franchises ceiling overnight, making a serious run at LeBron James even with the usual obstacles working against them. Minnesotas pitch leaned on a young core, a rising profile and the idea that James could be the final piece for a team trying to turn promise into something bigger, with ownership and players alike involved in the effort.
Alex Rodriguez was part of the behind-the-scenes push, while Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball also took part in the recruitment, giving the Wolves a rare mix of star power and ambition in the room. For a stretch, there were even moments when Minnesota believed it had a real chance, which is what makes the near miss linger now, even if the end result left the franchise still searching for the kind of marquee arrival that can alter everything. [Read more 🡒]