Led by Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner Naz Reid and defensive stopper Nickeil Alexander-Walker, how did Timberwolves’ bench fare in their final report card of the regular season?
Earlier in the week, the Minnesota Timberwolves starters received their regular season grades. Today, it’s the bench’s turn. As always, with the bench article, it starts with looking at estimated plus/minus trends, which now includes the finishing numbers for the season.
Estimated Wins Added
- Anthony Edwards: 13.6 (97th percentile)
- Rudy Gobert: 9.9
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 7.6
- Mike Conley: 7.4
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 6.3
- Naz Reid: 3.9
- Jaden McDaniels: 3.7
- Kyle Anderson 2.2
- Jordan McLaughlin: 1.6
- Monte Morris 0.3
Based on minutes played, the list of estimated wins added goes according to what you expect, except for one bench player vaulting himself up into starter level numbers: Nickeil Alexander-Walker. He’s been an EPM darling all season (ninth-best defensive rating!) but his number here passes the eye test: His effort, defensive intensity and shot making has driven winning for the Wolves all season. He may not win Sixth Man of the Year, but his impact was just as important as the candidate he shares the bench with.
Onto the grades!
A few brief reminders about the grading system:
- These grades are roles-based, so the stats I’m looking at for each player are different.
- Roles on the team can change as the roster and playing time changes — I will alter or add statistical categories throughout the season as needed.
- The below stats are split into three categories – first semester (the first 41 games), second semester (the last 41 games) and regular season.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Regular Season Grade: 94% (A)
The rest of the NBA made a huge mistake when they looked past what Alexander-Walker did in the postseason last year and let him sign with the Timberwolves for a two-year, $9 million dollar deal. The Play-In Tournament victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder and first round series against the Denver Nuggets were no flukes; NAW is a bonafide 3&D specialist in the NBA.
Beyond the elite defense and clutch shotmaking, he has one more characteristic that this team always relied on: his consistency. He is the only player on the Timberwolves to play in all 82 games, but it wasn’t just about showing up on the floor. He always brought 100% of his game on both the physical and mental side. He attacked his matchups, fought through screens, moved the ball on offense, and when it was needed, hit key electric-slide buckets from the outside.
NAW is the type of bench player that turns a good roster into a championship contending one and he is going to be a key component to slowing Phoenix’s big three.
Naz Reid Regular Season Grade: 91% (A-)
Beach towel phenom. Energy creator. The man that causes you to honk your horn outside of Parkway Pizza. Two words. Naz Reid.
The Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner earned a lucrative contract in the offseason, and his impact grew in accordance with his raise. There are only a few truly unique crowd reactions at Target Center – an Anthony Edwards lane clearing dunk, an opportunity for free chicken with a second missed free throw, and then the roar that takes place when the big man from LSU walks from the bench to the scorer’s table.
He became the quintessential Sixth Man this season. More often than not, he affected games with an immediate and electric scoring punch, but he also found ways to get the crowd out of their seats with a block or open floor crossover.
He has earned every Sixth Man of the Year vote that he gets, and just like Alexander-Walker above, the Wolves are going to need Naz Reid Games™ to advance deep into the playoffs.
Kyle Anderson Regular Season Grade: 79% (C+)
Despite improving since the trade deadline, Kyle Anderson’s grade falls in the “C” range due to the most drastic differential from his offensive effectiveness and defensive effectiveness.
You can make an argument (and the defensive estimated plus/minus does) that he was the third-most impactful defender on the team. He’s one of the most versatile on that end – one game he’s guarding Nikola Jokić, the next he’s dealing with a Devin Booker. His physicality, length, basketball IQ and quick hands help him excel on that end of the floor.
On offense, it’s no coincidence that his biggest improvement came when he slid back up to the four following Towns’ injury. His outside shooting this season (22.9%) hampered his effectiveness a ton and is what led to him being a 22nd percentile offensive player in the estimated plus/minus numbers.
Jordan McLaughlin Regular Season Grade: 92% (A-)
Jordan McLaughlin had a career resurgence in the second half of the season and his level of play would not allow for him to fall off of the rotation. As detailed in the midterm, his unconscious level of shooting added a whole new dimension to his offensive game. That mixed in with his normal fast-paced but controlled floor game led to the best stretch of basketball in his professional career. He looked every bit the part of the player that Wolves fans saw glimpses of in seasons past.
If Sunday was any indication, his second half of the season resurgence has vaulted him into the playoff rotation — something that seemed an impossibility at the deadline.
Monte Morris Regular Season Grade: 85% (B)
Monte Morris proved to be exactly the veteran piece that was traded for at the deadline. He’s a knockdown shooter, incredibly precise with the ball and his passing, and proved by both the eye-test and the numbers to be very underrated as a defender.
If Sunday was a playoff preview, it would seem that he’s fallen to the 10th spot in the rotation and may not be initially part of the playoff group. However, if I was a betting man, I would wager that there are some playoff moments to come for Morris. Experience in big moments matter and there may come a time when this Timberwolves team needs a calming presence coming in off the bench, or if McLaughlin’s size becomes problematic.
Minnesota Timberwolves Regular Season Grade: 94% (A)
In what is considered to be one of the best iterations of the Western Conference in NBA history, the Minnesota Timberwolves won 56 games, finished one game out of first place, had the top ranked defense and put together the second-best regular season in team history.
It is a regular season worth celebrating – and the best part about it? It’s not done yet. It does not matter the matchup – this team has the type of roster and coaching that can make a deep postseason run. Get ready for Saturday afternoon – the Minnesota Timberwolves are on the prowl for a championship.