Johnny Juzang Makes the Most of His Moment - But How Long Will It Last in Minnesota?
For most of this season, Johnny Juzang has been a familiar face on the Minnesota Timberwolves' bench - not in the rotation, but in the shadows of garbage time. That’s changed, at least for a moment.
Over the last two games, the 24-year-old has found himself checking in while the game still mattered. No blowout conditions, no mop-up duty - just meaningful minutes in live action.
And he’s made the most of them.
Juzang’s recent appearances may not have been long, but they were notable. On Wednesday against the Raptors, he entered with 2:23 left in the third quarter - a surprising move considering the Wolves were trailing by 11 at the time.
He stayed on the floor until the final seconds of the quarter, and Minnesota ultimately came back to win. Then, on Friday against the Pelicans, Juzang logged around 10 minutes, splitting his time between the second and third quarters.
That game didn’t go Minnesota’s way, but Juzang still managed to leave a mark.
He knocked down a three and hustled back on defense to swat a shot at the rim - a transition block that turned heads and made the rounds on social media. It was a flash of what Juzang can bring when given a real opportunity: a confident shooter with enough energy and athleticism to make plays on both ends.
But here’s the reality - that window might already be closing.
With Minnesota’s recent trade deadline move bringing in Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips from Chicago, the rotation is about to get a lot more crowded. Dosunmu, in particular, is expected to step into a significant bench role immediately. That likely pushes Juzang back to the bench - and not the "first off the pine" kind of bench, but the "break glass in case of emergency" variety he’s known all too well.
And there’s another clock ticking: Juzang’s contract situation. As a two-way player, he’s only allowed to be active for 50 NBA games in a season.
He’s already been active for 49. That means if the Timberwolves want to keep him available moving forward, they’ll need to convert his deal to a standard NBA contract.
The good news? Minnesota has room to do it.
They’ve got two open roster spots. One of those is likely being held for Mike Conley, assuming his return is a matter of time.
But the other? That could be Juzang’s shot.
The front office may have waited until the last possible moment to make the move in order to save some money - a common tactic with two-way deals - but now the decision has to be made.
So here we are. Juzang has shown he can contribute, even in limited minutes.
He’s stepped into real-game situations and delivered effort, energy, and a couple of highlight plays. But with the Timberwolves reloading for the stretch run and playoff push, his role is anything but secure.
Still, in a league where opportunity is everything, Juzang has done the one thing every fringe player hopes to do: he’s made people notice. Now it’s up to Minnesota to decide if that’s worth a permanent spot.