Julian Phillips
#4SF · Minnesota Timberwolves
Height
6'6"
Weight
198 lbs
Age
22
College
Tennessee
Experience
2 yrs
Wingspan
6'11.5"
Reach
8'6.0"
Hand Size
8.5" × 9"
C+
C-
D+
C
N/A
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The Verdict on Julian, in One Read
On the field, Julian Phillips grades out as a shaky SF for Minnesota Timberwolves (D+ Impact). That places him 80th of 119 graded small forwards. In his on-court role, the grade is middling (C Role), reflecting how he produces relative to others at his position. Against that production, his deal reads as fairly priced on the Contract Value Index (C+) — the team is paying below what the play would command. The public read is mixed (C- Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsD
| Year | Team | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 161 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 42.9% | 32.4% | 78.6% |
| 2025-26 |  | 43 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 |
Performance Grade by Season
PeakFLongevityMid-CareerRecentF
| Season | Team | GP | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | | 43 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 42.9% | F F |
| 2024-25 | | 79 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 44.6% | F F |
| 2023-24 | | 40 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 41.6% | D- D- |
Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG | 3PT | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 5/16 | vs SAS | L 109-139 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1-2 | 1-2 | +3 |
| Wed, 5/13 | @ SAS | L 97-126 | 3 | 0 |
Current Contract
Length
2 years
Total Value
$4.6M
Guaranteed
$2.2M
AAV
$2.2M/yr
Guaranteed %48%
Contract Value Index (CVI)
C+
Fair Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Julian Phillips's contract earns a C+ Contract Value Index, sitting where comparable NBA deals tend to settle. The verdict reflects a fundamental tension: at $2.2M AAV on a two-year deal, Phillips is priced like a third-string wing — appropriate for his role and salary tier — but his 2025-26 production of 2.7 PPG, 1.1 RPG, and 0.2 APG across 43 games carries a D performance grade that makes even that modest valuation feel generous. He is a 22-year-old third-year player in a developmental phase, and the Timberwolves acquired him from Chicago via trade specifically as a long-term asset rather than an immediate rotational piece, which explains why the CVI lands in C+ territory rather than lower — the contract itself is structurally sound for a young wing on a two-year runway. The real issue is opportunity cost: with Minnesota sitting at 49-33 and in playoff contention as the sixth seed, the team is compressing his minutes and growth window by prioritizing veteran depth and proven contributors, leaving Phillips to accumulate role-player counting stats in a win-now environment. His ceiling still exists — the franchise's investment in season highlight packages and integration into team branding suggests organizational belief in his developmental trajectory — but the C+ grade is a fair-market reflection of where a low-usage, low-production prospect sits when salary and performance don't yet align with franchise-caliber upside.
Performance Analysis
D
#80 of 119 Small Forwards
F
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Julian's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Julian Compares at the Position
Julian Phillips ranks 80th of 119 graded small forwards by performance. That slots Julian between Maxi Kleber (D) just ahead and Cam Whitmore (D) just behind.
Graded higher
Maxi KleberLos Angeles LakersDTristan da SilvaOrlando MagicDWendell Moore Jr.Detroit PistonsDJulian PhillipsD
Graded lower
Cam WhitmoreWashington WizardsTransaction History
No transactions found for this player.
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About this player
Julian Phillips is a player in his 2nd NBA season listed at SF for the Minnesota Timberwolves. FanVerdicts covers every NBA player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Julian Phillips, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C+, Performance D, Sentiment C-.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when NBA game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the NBA hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The NBA player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.