2025-26 Season

JAYLEN CLARK

Minnesota Timberwolves | Guard | 6-5

2025-26 Season

JAYLEN CLARK

Minnesota Timberwolves | Guard | 6-5 | Yr 1

4.0 PPG

1.8 RPG

0.6 APG

13.1 MPG

-6.8 Impact

Clark produces at an poor rate for a 13-minute workload.

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NET IMPACT BREAKDOWN

Every stat, every credit, every cost — per game average

-6.8

Scoring +3.2

Points 4.0 PPG = +2.4

Shot Making above expected FG% = +0.8

Creation +0.3

Creation 0.6 AST/g = +0.3

Turnovers -0.8

Turnovers 0.3/g = -0.8

Defense +0.6

Defense 0.7 STL, 0.1 BLK = +0.6

Hustle & Effort +1.6

Rebounds 1.8 RPG = +1.6

Raw Impact +4.9

Baseline (game-average expected) −11.7

Net Impact

-6.8

7th pctl vs Guards

PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology

TEAM COMPARISON

#11

Impact

#12

Creation

Hustle

Defense

of 13 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)

Anthony Edwards +18.4 Rudy Gobert +12.0 Julius Randle +9.8 Ayo Dosunmu +4.9 Jaden McDaniels +4.5 Naz Reid +3.8 Donte DiVincenzo +2.9 Bones Hyland -2.2 Terrence Shannon Jr. -3.1 Kyle Anderson -3.7 Jaylen Clark -5.5 Mike Conley -5.9 Rob Dillingham -10.6

Similar Players

Same position, closest production profile this season.

SKILL DNA

Percentile rank vs 245 Guards with 10+ games

Scoring 6th

4.2 PPG

Efficiency 18th

48.3% TS

Playmaking 2th

0.7 APG

Rebounding 14th

1.9 RPG

Defense 58th

+7.6/g

Hustle 34th

+7.6/g

Creation 11th

+1.44/g

Shot Making 6th

+3.08/g

TO Discipline 94th

0.03/min

THE SEASON SO FAR

Jaylen Clark's opening stretch of the season was defined by extreme volatility, swinging violently between game-wrecking defensive hustle and lineup-killing offensive invisibility. When he dials in his energy, his value easily transcends the box score. Look at the 11/17 vs DAL matchup. He managed just 5 points on poor shooting, yet posted a massive +5.9 impact score because his relentless hustle metrics (+5.3) generated vital extra possessions. Conversely, scoring efficiency doesn't guarantee him a positive footprint. During the 12/02 vs NOP game, he chipped in an above-average 6 points on sharp perimeter shooting, but still recorded a -2.1 impact score because his defensive lapses navigating off-ball screens gave those points right back. When his shot completely abandons him, as it did against BOS on 11/29, his total lack of offensive gravity allows defenders to pack the paint, resulting in a brutal -8.0 impact. Unless he is generating pure havoc defensively, his complete lack of spacing makes him a glaring rotational liability.

Extreme volatility and maddening offensive passivity defined Jaylen Clark’s turbulent midseason stretch. Even when he chipped in 5 points on perfect shooting on 12/23 vs NYK, his overall impact slipped into the red (-3.6) because severe defensive lapses entirely negated his offensive efficiency. He frequently became a ghost on the floor. During a disastrous outing on 01/10 vs CLE, Clark registered a brutal -10.7 impact score because his complete offensive invisibility allowed defenders to roam freely and forced his team to play four-on-five. Yet, he occasionally flipped the script by relying purely on grit. On 01/13 vs MIL, he managed a +2.9 impact despite scoring just 4 points, using elite defensive instincts and relentless hustle to completely overshadow a quiet shooting night. When Clark dialed up the suffocating pressure, he looked like a genuine rotation piece, but his terrifying tendency to float aimlessly on the perimeter made him a massive liability on most nights.

Jaylen Clark’s midseason stretch was defined by maddening volatility, swinging wildly between unplayable offensive invisibility and hyper-efficient bursts off the bench. The ugly side surfaced on 01/24 vs GSW, where he looked completely overwhelmed by the game's speed, rushing his actions to earn a dismal -8.5 impact score in just nine minutes. Yet two nights later on 01/26 vs GSW, Clark carved out a +0.6 impact score despite scoring a mere four points. He generated that positive value entirely through gritty non-scoring hustle, playing the role of a defensive specialist to perfection by denying entry passes and blowing up actions. Conversely, offensive production didn't always translate to winning basketball for the young wing, as seen on 03/28 vs DET. Even though he tallied nine points on easy cuts to the rim, his overall rating barely stayed afloat at +0.1 because severe defensive struggles at the point of attack gave those points right back. To survive in this league, Clark must figure out how to merge his defensive tenacity with offensive patience.

IMPACT TIMELINE

Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.

Best Game

11 PTS vs CHI

Dec 30 | +12.1 impact

Worst Game

0 PTS vs MEM

Feb 02 | -16.3 impact

PATTERNS

Struggling. Clark has posted negative impact in 81% of games this season. The production rarely outweighs the cost.

Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 41% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.

Good defender on his best nights, but it comes and goes. Some games Clark locks in defensively, others he gets picked apart.

Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 2 games. Longest cold streak: 9 games.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Based on 75 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.