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Roster Review | Shabazz Muhammad

SG/SF | 6-6, 223 lbs

2015-16 season: 82 games, 0 starts, 20.5 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.6 APG, 46.5 FG%, 28.9 3P%, 76.4 FT%

Shabazz Muhammad’s 2015-16 season was an up and down one.

The positives:

Muhammad averaged 10.5 points per game in just 20.5 minutes off the bench. Per 36 minutes, that’s 18.5 per game. He continued to rebound well, especially on the offensive end, averaging 2.1 per 36 minutes. He’s a matchup nightmare for opposing teams if he’s allowed to play on the wing. He’s not going to blow by you, but he can post up almost any wing player in the league. He was also extremely versatile. In 2014-15, he missed 44 games due to a hand injury. He played in all 82 games in 2015-16, more games than he had played in his career up to that point.

The negatives:

His shooting took a hit in his third season. Why is that? There’s a possibility that the lack of depth on the bench put a little too much pressure on Muhammad. In 2014-15 he shot 39.2 percent from the 3-point line, more than 10 percent better than what he shot last season. Defensively, he’s still a work in progress. According to Basketball-Reference, his Defensive Box Plus/Minus was -4.2, the worst of his career. He’s never going to be a lock-down defender, but he’ll need to be better than he has been in the last three seasons if he wants to be a rotational player on a team gunning for the playoffs.

Top Three Games Of The Season

3.) April 11 vs. Houston Rockets

In this 129-105 home loss to the Rockets, Muhammad finished with 23 points in just 22 minutes off the bench. He shot an efficient 9-for-13 from the field and also added two assists, one steal and one rebound.

2.) April 13 vs. New Orleans Pelicans

In the last game of the season, the Wolves crushed the Pelicans 144-109 at the Target Center. Muhammad finished with 28 points off the bench in just 23 minutes. He shot 12-for-16 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. He also added three assists and a steal.

1.) April 5 at Golden State Warriors

Muhammad’s best game of the season by far came in Minnesota’s 124-117 overtime upset win over the Warriors in Golden State. Muhammad finished with a career-high 35 points in nearly 39 minutes off the bench. He was super-efficient, shooting 9-for-12 from the field, 2-for-4 from the 3-point line and 15-for-17 from the free-throw line. He also had a bench-high six rebounds.

Top Offseason Objectives 

Muhammad should strive to stay in the shape he’s been in the last two seasons. Working out with “Crazy Frank” certainly has helped Muhammad’s physique. Offensively, his shot failed him a bit last season, shooting less than 30 percent from deep. If he can improve on that, even by getting to 35 percent next season, that would help immensely.

He needs to be a better player defensively. Having a coach like Tom Thibodeau will certainly help. There’s really no choice. Play defense, or grab a seat on the bench.

Role for 2016-17? 

Muhammad has proven himself as one of the best bench scorers in the league. That will likely continue to be his role for the Wolves. He’s an instant offense kind of guy. We saw that in games against the Thunder and Warriors. 

They Said It…

“We have all the pieces to be a really good team. We just gotta put it together and I think we’re gonna be a really good team.” – Shabazz Muhammad on the future of the Timberwolves.