When the Minnesota Timberwolves released their status report on Thursday ahead of Friday’s first post-All-Star break game against the Houston Rockets, nothing had changed since their 116-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder a week earlier.
Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo remain out with a groin strain and toe sprain. The Wolves have cleared DiVincenzo for non-contact basketball activities, while they cleared Randle for full-contact, 5-on-5 basketball practice activities.
Meanwhile, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards remain questionable, even though Edwards played in the Thunder game before the break. Hip soreness reportedly kept Edwards out of All-Star weekend’s action, where he didn’t play a single minute of the game.
It is frustrating to have five of Minnesota’s veteran players potentially out with injury. However, it might benefit the team in the long run.
Much has been made of Minnesota’s young players’ performances lately after injuries forced them into the rotation. In particular, Jaylen Clark has stood out with his NBA-ready defense and ability to knock down 3s at a respectable rate. Clark is currently shooting 37.5% from 3 on 1.7 attempts per game.
Terrence Shannon Jr. is another Wolves youngster who has had to wait for minutes this season and has also impressed. Shannon has scored more than 10 points in his most recent games and played 29 minutes in the impressive win over the Thunder.
Even Rob Dillingham, a much longer-term project for the Wolves, has had his moments at different times in the season. That has been particularly important given Conley’s growing decline as he reaches his late 30s.
While Minnesota’s youngsters have grown in confidence and increasingly look ready to play genuine NBA roles, it leaves coach Chris Finch with a dilemma. Earlier in the season, the Wolves played a strict eight-man rotation, with Josh Minott occasionally receiving a handful of minutes, usually in the first half.
However, it looks like Finch will have to expand his rotation. Even if Finch can’t rely on Dillingham in close games, Clark and Shannon are 23 years old and have clear, NBA-ready skills. Clark’s a sound defensive player with a shot that looks competent. Meanwhile, Shannon’s explosiveness and athleticism have enabled him to bulldoze to the rim regardless of opponent.
Should all of Minnesota’s injured players have returned simultaneously, Finch would be left with a much bigger issue in solving the rotation. Instead, this incremental return will mean that the Wolves rookies can continue playing alongside a growing number of the original eight-man rotation, allowing the coaching staff to see how the players fit among the larger roster.
For example, when the roster is once again healthy, it might be that there is a little less need for Jaylen Clark, given Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s ability to play as a point-of-attack defender from the bench and Donte DiVincenzo’s minutes at shooting guard.
Minnesota’s return to health likely won’t affect Shannon’s minutes. His ability as a slasher is almost unlike anyone’s on the roster; he’s the only player outside of Edwards who can put pressure on the rim. It might also become apparent that the Wolves need Dillingham to be a spark plug, as well as his ability to play with pace and intent.
The Wolves now know what their young guys can offer, and it might be better than some of the original eight-man rotation. Or at least, the skills they offer cannot be replicated by anyone else. The roster is unique in that sense, given how each player offers something slightly different.
It might mean more mix and matching, with Finch running lineups suited more to specific matchups. It might be that an extended lineup of 10 or more players in the first half becomes condensed based on who is playing well and who looks effective. The ability to play smaller with Jaden McDaniels at the 4 and Naz Reid at the 5 offers more space to Minnesota’s growing wing depth.
Having so many players capable of featuring in an NBA rotation is a luxury, and the Wolves must take advantage of that. No more eight-man rotation; no more strict 35-plus minutes a night for underperforming players. The young Wolves are here and must continue being given a chance to shine throughout the rest of this season.