Minnesota Timberwolves: Ranking the 2019-20 newcomers

2. Noah Vonleh, PF

Noah Vonleh quietly put together a nice season for himself amidst the burning rubble that is the New York Knicks organization. Like Shabazz Napier, Vonleh is a reclamation project who has shown he belongs in he league.

Now, he will be tasked with outcompeting Jordan Bell for what figures to be the lion’s share of power forward minutes playing next to Towns.

While the majority of Minnesota, fans and press alike, seem to assume that Bell will emerge from the fray, I’d be shocked if Vonleh doesn’t end up playing at least 20 minutes a game for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He shines in the areas where Bell falters: Bell literally is a non-shooter while Vonleh, despite all his struggles, is a career 31.6 percent 3-point shooter; that isn’t impressive but it’s workable for a big man.

Likewise, Vonleh is a plus rebounder, with a career 24.4 defensive rebound percentage and a 16.5 total rebound percentage to Bell’s 17.9 percent and 13.4 percent marks.

The 2018-19 Wolves were a bottom-10 rebounding team, especially porous on the defensive glass; Vonleh fills a need there much cleaner than Bell’s switchability does.

In term of switchability, Bell’s advantage isn’t massive either — Vonleh’s wingspan outmeasures Bell’s 7’4” (!) to 7’0”, and his slight frame allows him to stay in front of most guards.

Vonleh is confident in himself and fits this particular team relatively well. With Ryan Saunders suggesting the rotation may be nine or 10 guys to start the year, Vonleh and Bell will both get the chance to make an impact on the court.

Based on their histories and the situations they’ve played in, I’d bet on Vonleh emerging as a better frontcourt partner for KAT than Bell.