The Terrence (TJ) Shannon Thread

[BlacJacMac]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making. He played nothing like TSJ.

He was also a rebounding machine in college. 12.4 Rebounds in 31.5 Minutes as a Freshman!

He was a decade early to the game. Back then he was a tweener. Now he'd be a prototype PF.

[minimus]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making.

I think with current measurement rules he would be 6'8". I am not sure if he had a full arsenal, from what I saw he was fairly predictable, undersized PF who lacked creativity as modern comboforward. He definitely could make that mid range jumpers though.

He played nothing like TSJ.

Well, both are left-handed physical wings. So they have similarities.

[thinktank]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making. He played nothing like TSJ.

I’ll bet you a million dollars that TSJ finishes with a better TS% than Mike did.

[thinktank]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making.

I think with current measurement rules he would be 6'8". I am not sure if he had a full arsenal, from what I saw he was fairly predictable, undersized PF who lacked creativity as modern comboforward. He definitely could make that mid range jumpers though.

He played nothing like TSJ.

Well, both are left-handed physical wings. So they have similarities.

Their J looks very similar to me. A lot of physical similarities.

[Colbinii]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making. He played nothing like TSJ.

I’ll bet you a million dollars that TSJ finishes with a better TS% than Mike did.

Sure, TS% is higher now than a decade ago.

I'm also comparing them in terms of skill-sets and as prospects.

[thinktank]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making. He played nothing like TSJ.

I’ll bet you a million dollars that TSJ finishes with a better TS% than Mike did.

Sure, TS% is higher now than a decade ago.

I'm also comparing them in terms of skill-sets and as prospects.

Lotta similarities, imo.

https://youtu.be/g3r2XCsGhkc?si=8G0nyy-wAdznWqBm

https://youtu.be/841U5P4Qytg?si=224eM-MS8ntOQKwk

[KGdaBom]

Michael Beasley was 6' 10", had a full-arsenal of on-ball creation and incredible shot making. He played nothing like TSJ.

He was also a rebounding machine in college. 12.4 Rebounds in 31.5 Minutes as a Freshman!

He was a decade early to the game. Back then he was a tweener. Now he'd be a prototype PF.

I thought he'd be great. WTF happened. If he was listed at 6'10" that was a totally bogus measurement. Minimus had it about right at 6'8".

[thinktank]

He had a 10 cent head.

[TheZachAttack]

I don't see Shannon at all with Beasley. I don't think they play like each other at all. If Beasley would have came into the league now versus 10 years ago he would be a much different player. There's a lot more willingness to let bigger guys take jump shots, he would have stretched his game out to the 3 point line and shot a higher volume of shots there, and he would have been a 4 instead of a tweener.

I see blends of Naz/Covington/Shabazz Muhammed. Guys that play off the catch and get downhill, play in transition, and shoot 3's (to differing degrees).

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

IMO pump fake one dribble 3’s should one skills that every perimeter must master when playing with Gobert. Conley does this and he is almost automatic. Can Shannon, Rob add this?

Another skill is Ingles pass fake layup

Read on Twitter

[thinktank]

I don't see Shannon at all with Beasley. I don't think they play like each other at all. If Beasley would have came into the league now versus 10 years ago he would be a much different player. There's a lot more willingness to let bigger guys take jump shots, he would have stretched his game out to the 3 point line and shot a higher volume of shots there, and he would have been a 4 instead of a tweener.

I see blends of Naz/Covington/Shabazz Muhammed. Guys that play off the catch and get downhill, play in transition, and shoot 3's (to differing degrees).

Beasley not playing in the 3pt era does not preclude him from being a good comparison. The player you're saying Beasley would've become in this era is quite a bit like what TSJ is: "stretched his game out to the 3 point line and shot a higher volume of shots there". Then you throw in a Naz comp (he's even bigger than Beasley), a Shabazz comp (he couldn't dribble in the open court to save his life--TSJ can attack full court using his dribble and speed), and Covington (wasn't a finisher one bit, and also couldn't handle the rock like TSJ). I don't see less of those players in TSJ than Beasley, for sure. Beasley could get around with his dribble and had that quick trigger like TSJ does. On offense, I see two bucket getting machines.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

Here are some Conley's pump fake one dribble 3s. I think Shannon has quick enough release to shoot such threes from wings. Rob should have no issues either, but from all spots behind 3pt line, include above the break

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

[Klomp]

This was perhaps my favorite Timberwolves quote of the whole offseason, from Tim Connelly during his media tour at the Minnesota State Fair:

"TJ comes after 5 years in college, and kind of a circuitous path....he came over to the house the other day and I joked, we didn't think highly of TJ a couple of years ago. Watching him last year with the Illini, he kept getting better and better and better. He crescendoed, he was so good in the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center. Plays downhill, tough, coaches swear by him..."
----
There are a lot of scouts and front office personnel that might never deviate from their initial scouting report on a guy. Especially when it's while a whole off-court situation is unfolding. It would have been so easy for them to just steer clear from him on their draft board. To me, that shows a certain level of belief in him as both a prospect and a person.

[frankenwolf]

This was perhaps my favorite Timberwolves quote of the whole offseason, from Tim Connelly during his media tour at the Minnesota State Fair:

"TJ comes after 5 years in college, and kind of a circuitous path....he came over to the house the other day and I joked, we didn't think highly of TJ a couple of years ago. Watching him last year with the Illini, he kept getting better and better and better. He crescendoed, he was so good in the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center. Plays downhill, tough, coaches swear by him..."
----
There are a lot of scouts and front office personnel that might never deviate from their initial scouting report on a guy. Especially when it's while a whole off-court situation is unfolding. It would have been so easy for them to just steer clear from him on their draft board. To me, that shows a certain level of belief in him as both a prospect and a person.

It's always a good thing to reevaluate players as they mature. Sure, a lot of teams probably passed on him for the off court stuff, but how many didn't even have him on their radar because he didn't "wow" them earlier in his career? He won't ever be a star player, but good teams are made up of very good role players in addition to the stars.

Once again, it's nice to have a competent front office.

[minimus]

I wonder if playing with more talented players in MIN will help TSJ to develop playmaking skills. Someone compared TSJ with Shabazz Muhammad who had absolutely worst tunnel vision, but Shannon actually is willing passer. If Shannon can become a decent passer, it might open up so many things for him and MIN. I can easily see him running fastbreaks with Reid, Edwards and McDaniels.

[Klomp]

Shannon might step into training camp as the second-best athlete on the team behind Ant.

If you haven't watched him for a while, go back and watch some highlights not only from summer league, but Illinois tape as well. His speed is very high level. His reaction time and second jump ability is very good as well. These are things that can get him playing time right away, because they should help him be a solid defender immediately.

I think there are concerns about his playmaking, but I actually think his ability to read the court and make smart decisions is pretty solid, like you said minimus. I would wager that his higher turnover numbers/lower assist-to-turnover ratio have more to do with his hand size than they do with his ability to read the floor. His 8.5-inch hand width was tied for third smallest at the NBA combine. Still though, there has been improvement through his college career. Last season, his turnover percentage was a career low 9.8 percent despite a career-high usage rate.

I would also say that a combination of his role and athletic gifts also inflate some of the bad habits and poor decisions we saw at Illinois, which I know have left many people concerned. A lot like Ant, he's gotten away with being more athletic than almost anyone he faces. He was the guy at Illinois and had the ball in his hands all of the time. He knew he could get off his shot at any time, so often he was putting up not-so-great shots because he could.

The shooting consistency and ballhandling are real questions for him coming into the NBA. But I think his athletic traits will get him on the court early. And I agree, some of those second unit lineups could be a lot of fun. Rob, Ant, TJ, Naz, and pick the fifth guy. I could see any of Karl, Rudy, Jaden or Nickeil run with that group and create havoc against some teams.

He does have a propensity to drive, even in times when shooting might be preferred. But I do think that his ball-fake helps keep defenses on the move, especially when he gets the ball in the corner off a ball reversal. The key will be if the ball movement with the big club is to a point where the reversal gets all the way to the corner, because it didn't always get there last year.

[minimus]

TJ running the floor next to Randle will be freaking insane!

Watch on YouTube

[Benjams]

"Shannon dropped a career-high 47 points for the Iowa Wolves on Thursday night."

https://www.si.com/nba/timberwolves/minnesota-timberwolves-news/wolves-rookie-terrence-shannon-jr-is-way-too-good-for-the-g-league-01jh8x96wa4v

I've always wanted to see TSJ get more minutes for the Wolves. I don't know how Finch can do it. Seems like Wolves don't really put their rookies in a position to benefit the team and develop at the same time.

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[shrink]

"Shannon dropped a career-high 47 points for the Iowa Wolves on Thursday night."

https://www.si.com/nba/timberwolves/minnesota-timberwolves-news/wolves-rookie-terrence-shannon-jr-is-way-too-good-for-the-g-league-01jh8x96wa4v

I've always wanted to see TSJ get more minutes for the Wolves. I don't know how Finch can do it. Seems like Wolves don't really put their rookies in a position to benefit the team and develop at the same time.

I don’t think this is some grand plan to not use rookies. In fact, when Connelly drafted Dillingham and Shannon, he and Finch talked about how they were going to get NBA minutes right away.

The thing that changed was the trade that brought in DiVincenzo’s. He is too good to ride the bench, particularly for a team that’s trying to win. His addition meant the Wolves had to find an additional 28-32 guard minutes, which came at the expense of Dillingham and Shannon. That, and the lack of injuries, has kept TSJ on the bench and in Iowa.

I agree that he can probably play NBA minutes somewhere, particularly after we seen him dominate Summer League and G-League players. But with Ant, NAW and DDV in front of him, MIN is not the right place right now.