Isaiah Evans had an interesting start to his Minnesota Timberwolves career. He missed the first Summer League game because the team was busy finalizing a trade for LaMelo Ball.
When Evans finally played, his first two games were very difficult. He struggled to score and missed all 15 of his 3-point shots against Denver. However, he bounced back in his third game on Wednesday against Indiana, scoring 22 points. Minnesota still strongly believes in his talent.
Isaiah Evans Shows Why Timberwolves Believed in Him
A Contract That Came Early
Minnesota received Evans, this year’s 33rd pick, from Brooklyn in a massive four-team trade. The Wolves gave him a four-year, $9.3 million contract — very unusual for a second-round selection. Most players drafted there only get short or unpaid contracts.
This contract structure proves the front office wants Evans on the main team right now. They prefer the former Duke guard to be ready to play instead of developing down in the G League.
DiVincenzo’s Injury Opens the Door
Donte DiVincenzo started all 82 games for Minnesota last season and averaged 12.2 points. He ruptured his Achilles tendon in the first round of the playoffs and is expected to miss most of the upcoming season.
That opportunity is why every Summer League possession matters for Evans. With DiVincenzo out, the rookie is already making a case for rotation minutes before training camp begins.
DiVincenzo was the wing the Timberwolves used to space the floor when the starters sat. Without him, the second unit lacks a movement shooter who can run off screens and punish help defense. Evans is the closest replacement on the roster by skill set, even as a rookie.
The Numbers That Drafted Isaiah Evans
Evans is a 6-foot-6 wing who led Duke with 101 made threes last season while averaging 15 points per game. The Blue Devils went 19-0 in games where he made at least three from deep.
His release is quick, his range extends well beyond the college line, and his length gives him a chance defensively — even at his current weight. The shooting profile is what made him draftable. The frame is why he slid to the second round. Evans also fits the type of draft sleeper Minnesota has needed to ease the offensive load around Anthony Edwards.
Duke Did Some of the Work
After the Indiana game, Evans said Duke had done more to prepare him for the NBA than anything he had faced since.
“I think Duke prepared me the most,” Evans said. “The terminology is the same; the physicality is the same.”
He did not sound surprised by the breakout or shaken by the misses that preceded it. The comments matter because Evans’ draft profile was built less on raw athleticism than on shooting craft and reads. Minnesota bet on the jumper; Evans’ answer suggested he understood where those shots would come from.
The LaMelo Ball Trade Cost Some Shooting
Minnesota went 49-33 last season and lost to San Antonio in the second round of the playoffs. The offseason reshaped the roster around Ball, the first true facilitator Edwards has played with. That move also fits Minnesota’s broader recovery plan, which focused on giving Edwards more offensive help.
To get Ball, Minnesota had to trade away bench scorer Naz Reid and a plethora of future draft picks. Losing Reid hurts because he was the Wolves’ best shooting center. Isaiah Evans plays a different position, but his great outside shooting will help replace the bench spacing lost as the Timberwolves continue building around Edwards.
What’s Left in Vegas
The Timberwolves closed pool play at 2-2 with one more game in Las Vegas. They face the LA Clippers tonight at 11 p.m. ET. A steadier shooting performance from Evans would carry him into training camp with a real case for rotation minutes. The misses in his first two games did not change the roster math. The path that opened around him this summer did.
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
