Terrence Shannon Jr. Can Play A Bigger Role For Minnesota In The 2025-26 Season

The Timberwolves will make a tough decision with their roster. Team president Tim Connelly has stated that he wants to retain all the upcoming free agents, which is an expensive plan.

This leaves the roster with little wiggle room, which could lead to some trades to make some changes. Retaining only two players from the trio leaves more room for free agent signings for Minnesota. Alexander-Walker is the likely outlier, which opens a pathway for Terrence Shannon Jr. to capitalize on. 

Shannon Gives The Timberwolves The Boost They Need

Throughout the 2024-25 season, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch pointed out the issue with the team's lack of energy. That is solved whenever Shannon is on the floor because he plays at 100% all the time.

That energy is important because it inspires the rest of the team to try harder. It is a reason behind the Oklahoma City Thunder's success, as they have intense players whenever they are on the floor. 

Finch noticed the energy difference in the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder, which is why Shannon became a regular member of the rotation in the series. 

Expect Shannon's role to grow because he has proven to be competitive and surprisingly effective on the offensive end. In the series against OKC, he averaged 9.3 points per game while only playing 9.7 minutes. That is some good production from a rookie, and he is ready to keep doing it in the future.

Shannon's Role Still Depends On The Timberwolves' Roster

Despite playing some promising minutes in the postseason, the regular rotation will still be tough to crack, especially if Alexander-Walker re-signs with the team. Edwards, DiVincenzo, Alexander-Walker, and Mike Conley Jr. will all vie for minutes, which could leave out Shannon.

However, an Alexander-Walker exit opens the door for Shannon and fellow incoming sophomore Jaylen Clark to compete for minutes. The Timberwolves have better depth than people expect, but they need the opportunities to showcase it.

It will be tough if they lose Alexander-Walker because he was vital to their two consecutive Western Conference Finals runs. However, the Timberwolves might not get to see the full potential of their youngsters if they keep them on the bench. Shannon is one of the eager ones who are ready to keep competing.