Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jaylen Nowell led the way in an impressive win over the Boston Celtics. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

Okay, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded five players to the Utah Jazz. Their bench is a bit suspect.

Former Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Malik Beasley led all Minnesota bench scorers in the 2021-22 season with 12.1 points per game (PPG). With his departure to Utah, who will take the spark plug mantle? His former teammate, Timberwolves shooting guard Jaylen Nowell will that’s who.

Nowell has often been an afterthought when national media members address the Rudy Gobert trade. But with Beasley gone, he’ll certainly get more run than his 15.7 minutes per game average from last season.

The 23-year-old shot-creator is primed for a breakout season with more opportunities almost certainly headed his way. Nowell is ideally suited for the off-the-bench bucket-getting role. You need 3-level scorers that can check in the game and immediately get buckets like they’ve been out there from the opening tip-off.

NBA coaches and general managers want a sparkplug player to be efficient as possible and Jaylen Nowell fits that bill. He was efficient at every spot on the floor in 2021-22 according to Cleaning The Glass, (Subscription required).

Nowell shot a scorching 57 eFG% (they scrap garbage time minutes). That mark ranked in the 89th percentile amongst combo guards. He’s a guard finisher positionally, a tough shot maker in the midrange, and holds a shot accuracy of 38 percent on catch and shoot three-point attempts. His ability to attack closeouts and generate rim pressure is valuable in this role.

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