Trey Lyles Adds Shooting and Flexibility to Timberwolves’ Bench
Forward Trey Lyles scored 12 points and grabbed four rebounds in Minnesota’s win over Milwaukee on November 2, offering the Timberwolves floor spacing and added frontcourt flexibility.
Trey Lyles is giving the Minnesota Timberwolves a useful option off the bench as they adjust to losing frontcourt players Naz Reid and Julius Randle. In just over 21 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 2, Lyles scored 12 points, collected four rebounds and made two of his nine field-goal attempts from beyond the arc included in his four-for-nine shooting performance overall.
The 6-foot-9 forward’s perimeter shooting can open space for teammates who attack the basket. That may be especially helpful alongside guards Bones Hyland and LaMelo Ball, whose drives can draw defenders toward the paint. Lyles can also move the ball and take open shots without demanding many possessions.
His shooting has carried over from a season in Europe with Real Madrid. In EuroLeague play in 2025-26, he averaged 13.5 points and shot 45.9% from three-point range.
Lyles also gives coach Chris Finch more ways to arrange the frontcourt. He can play alongside another big or serve as the primary frontcourt player in a smaller lineup. That provides another option behind starter Jonathan Kuminga and center Rudy Gobert, while young player Joan Beringer continues to develop.
Across his first eight regular-season games, Lyles has posted averages of 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds while playing 16.7 minutes a night. His role is not expected to require starter-level minutes; a steady 15 to 20 minutes off the bench could help Minnesota get reliable production as the season continues.