Zyon Pullin’s Summer League showing may have given the Minnesota Timberwolves a real answer while they wait on Donte DiVincenzo.
That’s the kind of unexpected boost a team can use when the guard room is already looking thin. DiVincenzo tore his Achilles in Minnesota’s first-round series against the Denver Nuggets this past year, and he’s expected to miss most - if not all - of next season. Add in the departure of Mike Conley, and the Wolves were staring at some real uncertainty behind their starters.
Pullin didn’t just show up in Las Vegas - he stood out. In five games there, he logged 30.0 minutes per outing and put up 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
He shot 42.6% from the field and 35.7% from three on 2.8 attempts per game. For Minnesota, that kind of production from a young guard is exactly the sort of development that can change the shape of a bench rotation.
DiVincenzo had become a key part of the Wolves’ depth since arriving in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade from the New York Knicks. He was doing more than just filling a wing role, too - Minnesota was using him some at point guard, which made his absence even more painful.
The Wolves do have some help lined up. Ayo Dosunmu, who just re-upped with the team on a new deal, should ease some of the pressure.
LaMelo Ball, now Minnesota’s starting point guard, brings another layer of relief. But after that, the team still needs dependable minutes from the backcourt.
That’s where Pullin comes in. He was the clear leader of Minnesota’s Summer League group, and if that play carries over, he could carve out a bench role right away.
For now, the point guard depth chart behind Ball includes Pullin and Bones Hyland. Terrance Shanon Jr. will handle the ball some as well, and of course Anthony Edwards will still command the most touches on the roster.
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Szczerbiaks profile is exactly why his name still pops in conversations about players who arrived before the league fully opened up from deep. In an era when teams are launching far more threes, his blend of accuracy and touch feels tailor-made for a modern spacing-heavy attack, which is part of what makes his place among the games best shooters such a compelling debate. The question is less about whether he could shoot and more about how much more often he would have been asked to let it fly. [Read more 🡒]