Timberwolves make Johnny Juzang realize the Jazz already know

After the Utah Jazz surprised many by waiving Johnny Juzang, the Jazz alum got his next gig with the Minnesota Timberwolves. There was no guarantee that Juzang would make the Timberwolves’ opening night roster, which is why, after making the team, the Timberwolves will realize something the Jazz already know: Juzang can play.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Juzang agreed to a two-way deal with the Timberwolves, meaning he could play as many as 50 games for them this season.

The Timberwolves have lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker (another Jazz alum) and will be looking for all the help they can get in a potential diamond in the rough. Juzang can be that guy, and he proved it during the Timberwolves’ preseason.

The guy shot 14-of-29 from the three-point line during the preseason, making it a pretty easy choice for the Timberwolves to keep him around. While this may have surprised the Timberwolves’ fanbase, Jazz fans are well aware of what Juzang can do when he’s on the floor.

He’s not a star, and he may never be a starter on a playoff team, but he can be a rotation player on a playoff team. It was shocking that the Jazz waived him, though that was likely because they wanted to focus on developing their younger talent. Although Juzang is not necessarily old, he would have stood in the way of those plans.

It was ridiculous that he spent much of the summer on the open market as he definitively proved he is an NBA player in Utah. Now he can show the rest of the NBA that the league was wrong to let him go to a title contender like the Timberwolves.

Don’t be surprised if Juzang gets a bigger contract in Minnesota

Juzang is playing on a two-way contract and will be ineligible for the Timberwolves in the playoffs if this continues throughout the season. Since Minnesota will look to find meaningful contributions from the rest of the roster beyond the usual suspects, Juzang could work his way into a longer-term deal in Minnesota.

Now the Timberwolves are under the NBA’s second tax level and will do their best to ensure they don’t exceed it again after being above it the past two seasons. However, they could get Juzang, a three-point sniper, at a steal if his sharp shot remains as a Jazzman as a Timberwolf.

The Timberwolves should already be grateful for everything the Jazz have given them since 2022. Juzang has all the makings of another favor Utah did for Minnesota, even if it wasn’t intentional.