Player Preview: Jake Layman, the forgotten man
Jake Layman saw limited playing time last season, and it’s likely he finds himself in the same position this year.
Last season the Minnesota Timberwolves started its season against the Detroit Pistons, and Layman was inserted into the starting lineup. Let’s be honest, last year was an odd season for the Wolves, and they struggled to find their identity until the last month or two.
Layman appeared in 45 games last season and started in 11 of them. He and Juancho Hernangómez practically swapped roles a few times throughout the year.
The problem was Minnesota playing Layman as a power forward when he’s better at the three. At 6-foot-8 209 pounds, you can potentially utilize him in a small-ball lineup, but the former Maryland Terrapin isn’t big enough to face some of the bigger fours.
Layman can stretch the floor, but he’s been largely inconsistent. Through five seasons, he’s hovered between 20-to-30 percent. He’s not a liability shooting from beyond the arc, but he’s unable to keep the defense honest.
Layman’s best strength is his ability to cut to the basket.
He’s the best cutter on the team, and it’s not even close. His ability to read the seams of the defense and find open passing lanes is what makes him valuable offensively.
In his first season with the Timberwolves, the former second-round pick had a career year. He averaged 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He also had one of his best shooting seasons but ended up regressing last year.
In 45 games, he averaged 5.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists.
In 2019-20, Minnesota was a lot better when Layman was on the floor. He had a positive net rating of 2.0 in 2019-20 and fell to a -5.8 last season.
Even with the addition of Chris Finch, Layman never found any sort of groove. After the All-Star break, his offensive numbers decreased.
- Pre All-Star: 15.4 MPG, 6.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 51.3 FG%, 31.9 3P%, 77.8 FT%
- Post All-Star: 12.2 MPG, 3.7 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 46.4 FG%, 25.8 3P%, 50.0 FT%
Despite Finch being an offensive-minded head coach, there isn’t one category in which Layman improved.
Minnesota is thin in the frontcourt, so there’s a possibility he earns minutes there. However, the most likely outcome would be receiving playing time in foul trouble or during garbage time.
Layman came out and said during media day that he’s entering the season with zero regrets and will be playing more aggressively. If that’s the case, he could find himself in the rotation more because Minnesota will need guys to play harder if they want to win.
Despite that, he’ll be one of the last guys off the bench. He’s set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and this will likely be the last time he suits up in a Wolves uniform.
