Roster Review

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As we recap the 2018-19 Timberwolves season, our Kyle Ratke and Julian Andrews will be taking a look at each player on the roster and how we'll remember their season. We finish our series with point guard Derrick Rose.

It seemed like Rose’s career might have been over after the Utah Jazz released him when he was a throw-in trade piece in 2018. Rose could have given up. His career was solid, and people would have understood considering his injury history.

After having his first offseason without rehabbing from a major injury, Rose’s 2018-19 season was one of the best stories in the NBA. 

The guard averaged 18 points per game in just 27.3 minutes per contest. What was more impressive as that Rose shot 48.2 percent from the field (second-highest mark in his career) and a career-high 37 percent from the 3-point line. Rose isn’t the explosive guard he once was (although he still has plenty of ups), but he’s found different ways to score. 

Through the first half of the season, Rose was in the conversation for being an All-Star and the Sixth Man of the Year. After all, he did post a career-high 50 points against the Jazz on Oct. 31, which is absolutely insane when you consider most of the league probably thought his career was over. But Derrick Rose didn’t think so, nor did the Timberwolves. It takes two to tango, my friends.

Rose had four games with 30 or more points and 24 with 20 or more points.

Unfortunately, Rose did miss 31 games on the season. He missed some games to rest, but ultimately missed the final 15 games of the season due to bone chips floating in his elbow, which just from the sounds of, can’t feel particularly well.

While Rose’s season didn’t end on a high note, the 30-year-old guard showed us plenty and I’d be surprised if Rose doesn’t show those same instant-offense skills in 2019-20.

JA: This might be remembered as the year that Derrick Rose got his groove back. 

With the way Rose plays, it’s not surprising that there were people who thought he couldn’t come back from the injuries that cost him the majority of the beginning of his career. He relies on explosiveness, getting to the rim, beating defenders to spots and taking contact in order to get his buckets.  

While the explosiveness was often still there for Rose this season, most notably in his 50-point outing against the Jazz, he has also changed his game to better fit his physical abilities now that he’s at an earlier game. 

As Kyle noted, Rose refined his three-point shooting and started turning more and more to his deadly pull-up midrange game. He’s a perfect example of a player understanding that your game has to change as your body changes. Not very many players are able to adapt as Rose has.  

Rose also kept very close tabs on his body this year and has developed a routine for monitoring and improving his health that takes hours and hours of his time in addition to everything he does with the team. This is a player who is dedicated to continually building his career, whatever that may look like.  

In Minnesota, Rose found a franchise willing to invest in him and help him rehabilitate his body and redefine his game. In Rose, the Wolves got someone who was willing to give everything to help his team. He was the ultimate team player this season and that stands above anything that he did on the court. It was a helpful thing for younger players to see the work that Rose put in and they won’t forget his work ethic.  

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Derrick Rose Made It Clear Last Season That He's Back

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2018-19 In Photos | Derrick Rose

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As we recap the 2018-19 Timberwolves season, our Kyle Ratke and Julian Andrews will be taking a look at each player on the roster and how we'll remember their season. We continue with point guard Tyus Jones.

KR: Tyus Jones grew as a player in 2018-19, his fourth season as a pro.

Jones set the NBA record with a 6.9-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. That pretty much defines Jones’ game. He’s a smart player who is going to make sure his team gets a shot off on every possession. It might not sound like much, but that’s a really important thing!

Jones is a floor general who will make smart plays. When Jones is on the court, you feel safe about him having the ball in his hands. And while he’s not the most-athletic player defensively, he knows how to play team defense. He’s pretty underrated on that end of the court. Throughout his career, he’s averaged 2.1 assists per 36 minutes.

Last season, we saw Jones set career highs in points, assists, and rebounds per game. Through the first three years of his career, the challenge for Jones was to get consistent playing time. He got that this season, averaging a career-high 22.9 minutes per game.  

As Jones enters the offseason, there are some things to work on. After shooting a solid 45.7 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from the 3-point line in 2017-18, Jones saw those numbers dip last season to 41.5 and 31.7 percent, respectively.

That will have to be a focus this offseason. If Jones can increase those numbers, he’ll continue to prove that he’s more than just a spot-starter at point guard.  

It’s worth noting Jones has a great relationship with coach Ryan Saunders, as well as Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop.

JA: Jones is the type of player who seems like he will always have fans in people who really know basketball. His style of play isn’t flashy and his stats don’t jump off the page, but Jones’ calm command over the game will always be a huge benefit to his team.  

Last year was a good one for Jones. He got to start 23 games because of injuries to Jeff Teague and he showed in those games how much of a luxury he was for the Wolves’ bench. In starts, Jones averaged 10.8 points, 7.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 44.6 from the floor and 32.8 percent from three. Again, those aren’t crazy numbers, but his ability to run the team effectively was key.  

There’s a lot of talk about Jones’ assist-to-turnover ratio. While that stat in and of itself can be misleading, there’s no doubt that Jones is very comfortable handling the ball. Not only does Jones not throw passes that are picked off, but he doesn’t turn the ball over on dribble-drives or in transition either. Being a good point guard is about more than just passing, it’s about manipulating your opponents’ positions on the floor to get your teammates good looks. Jones is very good at that aspect of the game.  

As Kyle mentioned, the biggest task for Jones going forward is going to be developing his three-point shooting. He has the shot mechanics and he’s a good free-throw shooter, but he needs to keep working to extend his range. 

Jones will be a good NBA player for a long time and he’s the kind of player who will always have a ton of friends in the locker room. He’s also only 23 still! There’s a lot of potential still for the young floor general.  

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Tyus Jones Made NBA History In 2018-19, Now What's Next For His Game?

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2018-19 In Photos | Tyus Jones

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As we recap the 2018-19 Timberwolves season, our Kyle Ratke and Julian Andrews will be taking a look at each player on the roster and how we'll remember their season. We continue with point guard Jeff Teague.  

KR: As far as health is concerned, Jeff Teague had a rough 2018-19 season, missing 40 games. When Teague did play, though, the Wolves were 23-19.  

Teague’s scoring isn’t what we’ve seen in the past at 12.1 points per game, but he did average a career-high 8.2 assists per game. He also only turned the ball over 2.3 times per game, his lowest mark since the 2011-12 season.

It’s worth noting, too, that when a player is hurt like Teague was, seemingly for much of the season, it’s pretty hard to get into a rhythm. 

Teague underwent surgery on his left ankle at the end of the season and should be fully healthy heading into the 2019-20 season.

A healthy Teague brings a lot to this Wolves team, especially offensive. He’s a career 35.6 percent 3-point shooter and is one of the faster players when he attacks the basket. 

We’re excited to see a healthy Teague for the 2019-20 season, something he wasn’t for the majority of 2018-19.

JA: While Teague would be the first to tell you his 2018-19 season was a little disappointing, let’s not forget about the positive. When Teague played well, the Wolves played well. In particular, Teague’s passing was key for Minnesota. In the 15 games where Teague collected 10 or more assists, the Wolves went 12-3. That’s legit. It wasn’t just in these exceptional games that Teague helped the Wolves either. When he had five or more assists the Wolves went 23-14. 

Teague’s passing was on another level this season. He ended averaging 8.2 assists per game—a career high. He also only turned the ball over 2.3 times per game, his lowest since 2011-12.  

The biggest problem this season for Teague was health. He only played 42 games and struggled with ankle injuries for much of the year. It’s hard for a player to get into a rhythm when they’re struggling with their health and especially for a point guard who is tasked with running the offense, rhythm is important. 

Teague does a lot for the Wolves when he’s on the floor. He’s an experienced, veteran point guard who has won consistently in the league. It’s easy not to notice what Teague does—he doesn’t score a ton and he isn’t known for making flashy passes or highlight-reel layups. What he does do is put his teammates in position to score and makes winning plays along the margins of the game. 

In an NBA that props up big personalities and is constantly on the lookout for headline-making quotes, it’s easy for someone like Teague to fly under the radar. He’s quiet, doesn’t love talking to the media and is a pretty private person. His teammates are all fans of his, though, and his ability to put other players in positions to succeed is extremely valuable. 

Having a steady hand like Teague’s at the helm of an offense is a luxury. Playing with players like Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns who are exceptional finishers, Teague can really rack up assists. If he can come into 2019-20 healthy and ready to go, it could be a special year for him. 

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Injuries Held Jeff Teague Back In 2018-19

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2018-19 In Photos | Jeff Teague

As we recap the 2018-19 Timberwolves season, our Kyle Ratke and Julian Andrews will be taking a look at each player on the roster and how we'll remember their season. We continue with forward Dario Saric. 

KR: It didn’t take long for Dario Saric to become a fan favorite, much like he was in Philadelphia, with the Timberwolves.

However, it took a little longer than probably would have wanted for him to adjust to his new team, but when he did, it became apparent that Saric’s skillset is a unique one.

In 68 games with the Wolves, Saric shot 45.4 from the field, a mark that would mark a career high for a full season. He also shot 38.3 percent from the 3-point line, one-percent off his career high.

Saric is a good passer for a big man, and also a good shooter. After having a full offseason with the team and more importantly, a full training camp with head coach Ryan Saunders, I’d be shocked if we don’t see an even more impressive Saric in 2019-20.

There were times when Saric looked uncomfortable last season, and maybe lacking confidence. A lot of that stemmed from him adjusting to being traded from a team where he had a lot of friends. It’s not easy to just pack a bag and play at a high level with teammates you aren’t used to playing with. But that’s also the business that is the NBA.

Saric next to Karl-Anthony Towns offensively is a scary thing for opponents considering both can extend the floor, pass and score from inside.

I’m excited, maybe more than any other player on this roster, to see what Saric brings to the Wolves in 2019-20. While it feels like he’s been around forever, Saric is still only 25 years old and has a lot of room to grow. 

JA: It’s pretty fair to say that much of Saric’s 2018-19 campaign was spent adjusting to new situations. That being said, what we saw from Saric was pretty darn exciting. 

The most intriguing part of Saric’s game is his passing. His ability as a power forward to facilitate getting the ball inside to Karl-Anthony Towns from the outside or kick out from the inside is a very fun thing for the coaching staff to play with. He’s also great at seeing cutters which helps players like Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop, whose primary role on offense right now is moving without the ball. 

Saric also showed that he can be a good floor spacer at the four as well. Though he wasn’t as consistent shooting the ball as he might have liked, the threat of his shot was still real enough that a team’s second big couldn’t collapse onto Towns and leave him open beyond the three-point line. If he can push his three-point shooting north of 40 percent, which certainly seems possible considering he shot 38.3 percent with the Wolves last year, he’s going to force teams into making very hard decisions. 

With the pairing of Saric and Towns (not to mention Robert Covington), the Wolves have a frontcourt they can be excited about. Saric’s shooting and passing would be the perfect complement to any roster in the league—the Wolves are certainly glad he’s with them. 

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Dario Saric Has The Skills To Open Up The Timberwolves' Offense

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2018-19 In Photos | Andrew Wiggins

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