Ah, the internet. What a wonderful place. Especially when the Minnesota Timberwolves blow a lead or suffer a bad loss in the middle of February.
Discourse happens. A lot of it unfair, but some abundantly fair.
With the Wolves set to run it back this coming season, I thought I would take a look at some of the common storylines and criticisms that have surfaced over the last couple years that will become either more fair, or completely unfair this coming season.
Shall we?
“Mike Conley is Washed!”
As bouncy as his grit and grind
self 10-15 years ago? Certainly not.
But I think Conley still has a lot left in the tank for the role he is going to be asked to play this year. Emphasis on the second half of that.
Conley’s shooting splits took a sharp drop last year (44% from three in 2023 to 41% last season, 45% from the field in 2023 to 40% last season) which led to sharp criticism of if the former Ohio State point guard is even a rotation player at this point in his career.
I certainly think a part of that is held within the fact that he played 71 regular season games, 25 minutes a game, and essentially was the only player on the roster capable of organizing offense when the Wolves needed it. There comes a point in time where that expectation becomes too much to bear for a 38 year old point guard in the sunset of his NBA career.
That said, the difference between last year and this is that whether ready or not, reinforcements will be on the way. No more street clothes for Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr; they’ll be responsible for showing that there can be a facilitation life to this team with Anthony Edwards even after Conleu rides off into the sunset. Whether they prove successful at that task will inform decisions for the Wolves next offseason. Until that happens, it would be surprising to see Conley play 71 games this season and play 25 minutes a game as he did last year.
Starting point guard? Maybe not. Washed? I’m not sure sure that’s the case either. I think Conley could still have a nice season in a ramped-down role.
“Chris Finch Doesn’t Expand His Rotations!”
We’ll have the quickest answer to this one out of necessity. Not just because of the load management of the aforementioned Conley, but because young players are kicking down the door to demand real game minutes.
Terrence Shannon Jr. was too good for Summer League. Averaging 23 points on efficient shooting splits, Shannon has real, NBA-ready skills that demand minutes this coming season, and presents a valuable rim attacking skillset that raises the ideal compliment to Anthony Edwards.
Rob Dillingham wasn’t quite at the level of Shannon’s impressive Summer League, but a draft night trade-up into the top ten a year ago demands for him to see the floor after flashing during the regular season and showing he can be a rotation player with increased consistency. If he isn’t successful in spelling Conley in times he may need it, it would be surprising to see Dillingham’s perceived role as the point guard of the future for the Wolves come to life.
All said, it would be extremely shocking if we didn’t see an early-season rotation of nine or 10 guys. There are downsides; players like Conley have admittedly been fond of playing longer stretches in order to get into a rhythm as opposed to quicker stints in the game (Finch has also leaned on this methodology).
The two young guys are too good and important to keep off the floor. If we don’t see bigger rotations early on, this storyline becomes true extremely quick.
“The Wolves Have Hit a Ceiling with Rudy Gobert”
As the Wolves advance to two conference finals in two years, the trend with Rudy Gobert remained the same; his effectiveness was only so loud until the Wolves moved further and further into the postseason. Early on, whether it be the Suns series, Lakers series, or either conference semifinals, Gobert was excellent in securing the paint and defending the perimeter. It just didn’t translate when it came down to the times where it was needed further; proven stoppable.
Gobert’s contract lasts for three more years. I don’t believe he will be in Minnesota for all three. However, whenever his exit comes will largely be determined by the result of this season. Is it Western Conference Finals or bust? I wouldn’t say that, but I think it comes down the how much the floor continues to be elevated in the regular season, and if/how it can be carried into the postseason.
A great start? Developing a push shot or a go-to spot inside the free throw line to play off of the short roll.
