Welcome back to the Den. The Wolves are ten games in and their record stands at 7-3. Over that time the Wolves sprinted out of the gates, lost Anthony Edwards to dirty knees in need of a cleaning, and have mostly righted the ship. Their losses are on travel back-to-backs and their first game without Edwards where they didn’t even have a chance to practice before tip-off.
This team found something special in their first four games and then had their literal knees cut from them. Through the mire of
the early season, as the rest of the league reels from their own injuries, the Wolves are looking for another new identity. An identity that does not include Edwards but prepares for his return.
As you can imagine, there are a lot of questions for this team to answer. Here are some of them.
Note: So much of this is small sample size theater.
1. Can Jonathan Kuminga keep this up?
It’s just flashes. He had similar highs in Golden State before cooling down. There’s no way he can keep this up. Here he goes again driving into traffic to get blocked… huh, nice pass. No no no, don’t shoot tha…SPLASH! Oh my gawd, he got up so high for that rebound.
This short-staged drama has occurred inside my head in nearly every game this year. In good games and bad, Jonathan Kuminga has shown up to do whatever is asked of him.
In every counting stat except points per game, Kuminga is averaging career bests; rebounds (5.7), assists (2.9), steals (1.2) and blocks (1.0). His highest BPM through his first five seasons was 0.1. This season he is at 2.9 and has his career first positive for Offensive Box Plus Minus (0.6).
Head Coach Chris Finch has heaped praise on JK. In Minnesota’s more read and react, flow, style, the Wolves starting power forward is emboldened to make a play when the ball finds him. His cuts aren’t always rewarded but it sends the defense into a panic and opens things up for his teammates. It also puts him in the middle of the floor to grab or poke out offensive rebounds.
I am running out of excuses for why it won’t last. After the first few games, I thought his play would disappear once the initial novelty of the season’s start wore off. It didn’t.
I thought he’d become more shot hungry and ball dominant when Ant went down. He hasn’t.
I thought he’d get worn down having to guard some of the best players in the league night after night. This might happen as the overlong season grinds on, but so far Kuminga seems to get up for the battle.
The hardest question might be coming, “Can the Wolves afford to keep Kuminga?“
2. What is Rudy’s purpose on offense?
The start of the season has seen a dramatic drop in Rudy Gobert’s points per game and his near league-best shooting efficiency. Gobert is averaging his fourth fewest shot attempts, second least points per game, the worst shooting percentage, and worst free throw percentage of his career.
It took one of the smartest basketball minds in Mike Conley over a year to learn how to play with Rudy. LaMelo Ball has had a scant few weeks to build chemistry. Combine that with the geometry of the floor and the defensive attention he is getting due to the sidelined Edwards, and it’s no surprise the lack of consistency.
The Wolves need Rudy to be effective on offense. The book is out on the big man. Good defenses know how to bait Minnesota into thinking Rudy is open and recover quick enough to force a turnover or an errant shot.
Which brings us to the question of how to effectively use Gobert on offense. There is space to use him in the pick n’ roll, but that has rarely been Finch’s play style of choice. He is averaging a career high in offensive rebounds and this is primarily where I want him to find his points.
Finishing those misses just as they bounce off or tipping them out to teammates to try again when defenders are too close to him. Don’t give them a chance to send him to the line.
He is very good at screening his teammates open and should continue to be used as the effective body in the way. This opens up Ball, Ayo Dosunmu, and Bones Hyland to get a screen assist into open triples. But this also pulls Rudy away from the hoop and the offensive boards that are his best offense.
Simple as it sounds his threat to roll is only as effective as his chemistry with his point guard. Until that firms up, he’s on cleanup duty.
3. What is a Ghost Screen?
The Wolves are getting spooky with a lot more ghost screens this season. This gambit, that asks a shooting threat to feint a screen before sprinting to the other side of the point-of-attack (POA) defender, is meant to short circuit a defense. In a fraction of a second, the ghost screener’s defender has to determine if they need to call for a switch if the screen gets set, or to chase after the shooter who has suddenly burst to a preferred place to spot up.
The Wolves are loaded with players who can quickly turn on the jets (I can’t recommend Ayo Dosumnu’s Player’s Tribune piece enough) and make this decision that much harder. Screens are overcome best when a defense is communicating. The threat of a ghost screen shortens that window for effective communication.
If the POA defender thinks a screen is about to be set, they might get ready to hedge for the incoming contact giving the ball handler enough wiggle room to drive. If the chase defender thinks a screen is being set, they might slow up enough to give the ghost screener a chance to find an open look. If a screen is set, the game flows into common pick n’ roll, one of the most tried and true means of creating advantages.
In the clip below, the Wolves use a combination of screens to break Orlando’s zone, a past bugaboo for Minnesota.
Armed with better outside shooting than the past two years, look for the Wolves to continue to haunt perimeter defenders with these scary non-screens.
4. Who else has come back from dirty knees?
Note: Every injury to a player is unique. No timeline to return or level of ability when returning is the same. An Achilles tear for Donte DiVincenzo and his play style is a completely different injury that an Achilles tear for Ariel Hukporti and how he approaches the game, despite hurting the same tendon.
The day after it was announced that Ant would get arthroscopic knee surgery, a friend of mine sent me a grim text. All he could think of was Grant Hill, Brandon Roy, and Penny Hardaway and the possibility that Ant’s career would be sapped from him like it had from those elite athletes.
I immediately texted back “What about DWade, Kobe, CP3?” After a brief internet search here are several NBA players who have undergone arthroscopic knee surgery who had some of their best years after the fact.
- Kobe Bryant – Kobe had his first knee surgery in 2003, another in 2006, and another in 2010. In the midst of this string of surgeries he was an All-Star every year (despite the Laker bump, these were earned), won an MVP and was top five in MVP voting in all but one year, and made All-Defensive Teams in every year but one.
- Dwyane Wade – DWade (a frequent Ant comp) had his entire left meniscus removed in 2002 while in college and went on to have a Hall of Fame career where he was unwillingly nicknamed Flash for how quick he was despite playing sans knee cartilage.
- Chris Paul – Snitch Paul had arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear in 2010 while still with the New Orleans Hornets. As fun as he was on those Hornets teams, the Point God emerged into a force in the years after with the Lob City Clippers, Hardenball Rockets, and even made his first Finals with the Phoenix Suns, 11 years after the surgery.
- Jimmy Butler – General Soreness had surgery on his right knee in 2018 while the Wolves were third in the Western Conference. He returned to help break the 14 year playoff drought. Jimmy has since been the driving force to two NBA finalist teams, never winning one. He adds multiple All-Star selection, an All-NBA selection, and an All-Defensive Team honor to his otherwise championship barren trophy case. I’m not bitter.
- Jaylen Brown – Mr. Lamb Chops and Gravy had a knee procedure in the summer of 2025 and was back by training camp en route to being an All-Star, All-NBA 2nd Team, and sixth in MVP voting.
This surgery to clean up Ant’s knee will likely diminish Ant’s burst athleticism. He has moved his game to more outside shooting while maintaining a rim presence. If his downhill game is not as quick, it will hurt, but he’s also added a midrange for if the defender goes too far under that leaves him a three level problem for any defense.
Plenty of NBA greats have bounced back, here’s hoping Ant joins this laudable list.
5. What does this rotation look like fully healthy?
Ant is out for roughly two months. Terrance Shannon Jr. has missed two games with a hip contusion. Donte DiVincenzo is recovering from an Achilles tear with every intention of coming back this season.
In their absence the Wolves have slotted Ayo Dosunmu into the starting lineup. Bones Hyland is scoring the ball well. Jaylen Clark is getting into guys jerseys and hitting 41.2% of his threes on 2.1 attempts a game.
All of these players are competing with each other for minutes. While the deeper bench has done yeomen’s work to keep the Wolves head above water, they are not as good as the players whose minutes they are sopping up.
Finch is strict in his rotations. In the last three years, his starting lineups are in the top five for most used lineups in the NBA. If he gets a fully healthy team, Bones and Clark’s minutes will likely disappear all together. Ayo will move back into his sixth man role ready to be whatever his team needs of him.
Donte is the biggest question mark. He started all 82 games last season, but there is not a spot for him in this starting lineup. We also don’t know what he will look like coming back from such a devastating injury.
Sans LaMelo foul trouble giving Bones more minutes in the Raptors game, Finch has only given double digit minutes out to nine players before the injuries started. Joan Beringer’s minutes aren’t going anywhere. Trey Lyles has size, outside shooting, and has shown a predilection for being in the right place at the right time. Unless countering a specific lineup, his minutes stay the same.
Shannon figures to be the first cut in playtime with the Big Ragu’s return unless Finch expands his bench to ten. And yet, there are few players who could elevate TJ’s game better than Donte. An attacking TJ off a Beringer screen with Donte, Ayo, and Trey spreading the floor is tailormade to confound defenses.
On those nights where the injury report is blank, I hope Finch keeps the pedal to the metal with frequent rotations in the vein of Memphis Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo. The Grizz have 13 players averaging double digit minutes and only two players over 30 minutes a game, Cameron Boozer (32.3) and Ty Jerome (30.7).
The NBA season is grueling. We have seen year after year the Wolves struggle as the playoffs wear on. TJ, Bones, and Clark are good players, deserving of minutes that will keep the starters fresh for when they are needed most.
6. How do the Wolves compare to the rest of the league (through 10)?
Look here for the inarguable answers through the first ten games.
The Wolves are presently top five in the league in the following team categories:
- Points per Game (5th)
- Rebounds Per Game (1st)
- Three Pointers Made (2nd)
- Net Rating (1st)
- Defensive Rating (3rd)
- 2nd Chance Points (5th)
- Pull Up Shooting (5th)
- Loose Balls Recovered (2nd)
The Net Rating stat is leaning heavily on Minnesota’s first three blow out wins. That said, they have only lost their games by a combined 17 points thus far. They are hitting plenty of threes. They are defending with energy and diving for loose balls. They don’t treat the game as something that should be handed to them like some legacy Ivy Leaguer applying at his dad’s company. They are battling for the ball and snatching it from less hungry competition.
7. What is the ranking of the Wolves’ ticket package/giveaways this season?
Gone are the days of XL T-Shirts and Howl Towels. The Wolves have overloaded this season with all manner of tchotchke, curio and baseball jersey to lure fans and collectors alike to home games. Most of these do not have an image released but give you just enough information to send your imagination whirring.
There is an entire series of baseball hats with design help from former Wolves vets. For Kevin Garnett’s jersey retirement, Minnesota has five unique pieces of career spanning collectible celebrating the Big Ticket’s accomplishments wearing 21. There are bobbleheads, blankets, and backpacks and way way way too many baseball jerseys. Andhere they all are, definitively ranked.
8. Why are there so many baseball jersey giveaway nights?
To begin, I know:
There are seven ticket package giveaways featuring a baseball jersey this season. In collaboration with local artists, this is what the Wolves are doing for their Artist’s Series this year. Each jersey, for a sport different than the one it is honoring, celebrates a societal cross-section; Latino Noche, Military Appreciation, Native American Heritage, Pride Night, Asian American and Pacific Islander Night, Black Excellence, and Inspiring Women.
I think the designs are fun. Each one is a variation with pin stripes in a variety of colors. Some of them have designs on the sleeve nodding to the theme of the night. All of them have “Wolves Basketball” on the back. And all of them are baseball jerseys.
I love the Artist’s series. I have purchased at least one shirt each of the last two seasons. I love that a local artist gets to put their stamp on the Wolves design. I love that several of the local artists are BIPOC and women creators. I love that they came in a variety of T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats.
I just don’t understand the thought process in making seven different baseball jerseys. I don’t know enough about production costs, or textiles, so forgive my potentially ignorant question, but, wouldn’t a jersey with two less sleeves of material be cheaper while closer to the topic at hand? Can they not do basketball jerseys because of some contractual stuff with Nike? WHY!?
All that said, I think the Native American design is my favorite and I might need to get one.
9. Where are we at in the marathon?
The Wolves have played ten games in 17 days. If losing Ant and TJ wasn’t enough, they have not had more than a day between games and twice have played in travel back-to-backs. All marathons are tough. Some like to remind you of that fact in the first few miles.
The giddy win streak to start the season, like those first marathon steps past gathered supporters, can make you feel invincible. Before you know it, you’re running faster than you can sustain and its only mile two.
This is not to say that what we saw in the first three games is unsustainable, but with Ant out, the team is grasping for an identity while still playing fast and loose. LaMelo is trying to play aggressive defense and fouling like crazy.
The race is still young though. The stored ATP that let the Wolves sprint out of the gate may be spent, but they have years of experience and the benefits of youth. In the first full month of the season, they are searching for a pace they can maintain.
The challenge of racing a marathon is knowing the line between speed and overheating. The Wolves need to keep chasing after rebounds and through screens without losing anyone else to injury. If the news of Donte’s return holds true, and Ant and TJ bounce back, they’ll get an injection of energy better than any banana or unsavory gel packet found along the march.
10. Where will the Wolves be at Game 21?
From now until the day after Thanksgiving (no it is not a holiday and you can’t make me recognize it as one) the Wolves take on a mix of the top and bottom of both conferences. They play nine of them at home. Here’s a snap shot of who they got.
The promise that the Utah Jazz were going to try this year has landed on its face due to injury and their inability to defend the point of attack. The Bulls are finally rebuilding. The Nets have five players in their sophomore season and only two of them get playing time despite their abysmal record.
On the challenging side of the opposition, Cooper Flagg looks incredible alongside the returned Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks are a deep squad and can hang around in any game. The Memphis Grizzlies, on the back of Ty Jerome’s electric start and the connective play of rookie Cam Boozer are near the top of the conference.
Portland Trail Blazer’s head coach Micah Nori returns to Minnesota for a home back-to-back. Nori has his team cooking, bolstered by Blazer legend, the renewed Damian Lillard.
The Knicks have started off shaky but can find their championship form on any given night. Finally, the Thunder are a battered and broken team that still boasts seven players that could earn starter’s minutes on most teams in the league.
With the Wolves only having one back to back in this stretch, and three days of rest between game 11 and 12 to rest and practice, I see the Wolves going into the month of December playing at the same pace, 14-6.
So Canis, what questions do you have?
