The Minnesota Timberwolves may have a lot of moving parts this season, but the clearest bench question is not the one that usually gets the loudest attention.
The power forward spot, at least in this view, looks more like a group project. Jaden McDaniels, LaMelo Ball’s positional height, and rotational pieces such as Trey Lyles, Josh Green, and Joan Beringer give the Wolves enough options to sort that out by committee. The bigger issue is finding the guy who can carry the scoring load when the second unit comes in, especially now that Naz Reid is no longer in the fold.
That leaves two names at the front of the line: Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr.
Hyland made a real case for himself last season after being on the brink of falling out of the league the year before. He landed a non-guaranteed deal with Minnesota and quickly became important once the Wolves needed production from the backup point guard spot. With Rob Dillingham and Mike Conley struggling to provide what the team needed, the Wolves leaned on Hyland early.
He didn’t hold that role all the way through the postseason, but during the regular season he gave Minnesota useful, efficient minutes. Hyland posted 8.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 45.3/38.8/78.
If Reid’s departure frees up more shots, Hyland’s combination of ball-handling and scoring chances makes a bump in usage easy to picture. Getting him into the 12-13 points-per-game range would put him in the conversation as a dark-horse Sixth Man of the Year candidate if Minnesota stays among the league’s best teams.
Shannon, though, may have made the louder statement when the playoffs forced him into the spotlight. With Donte DiVincenzo out because of an Achilles injury and Anthony Edwards missing time with knee injuries, the Wolves needed minutes and shot creation from somewhere, and Shannon stepped into that opening.
His best moment came in the closeout win over Denver, when he dropped 24 points. Across that series, he averaged 14 points per game and shot 51.6 percent.
The Spurs series was rougher, and the numbers showed it: 10.7 points per game on 34.9 percent shooting. But the role still fit his strengths.
He cuts hard, flies in transition, and can knock down the corner 3, traits that should play well alongside LaMelo Ball.
Between the two, Shannon looks like the likelier candidate to emerge as Minnesota’s leading bench scorer.
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