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The Minnesota Timberwolves have a point guard problem - but what’s the solution?
Timberwolves’ Point Guard Dilemma: The Mike Conley Conundrum
The Minnesota Timberwolves are grappling with a significant issue at the point guard position.
When Tim Connelly orchestrated the trade for Mike Conley, it was an absolute masterstroke. The veteran guard brought stability and experience to the team for the balance of the 2022-23 season and the entirety of 2023-24, a season that culminated in 56 regular-season wins and a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Along the way, Conley even earned a two-year extension, meaning he’ll be in a Wolves jersey through his age-38 season.
But the first dozen games of the season have not gone to plan, and concerns about Conley’s ability to contribute at a high level appear to be founded — as well as question marks about the alternatives, both for this season and as a long-term succession plan.
The Struggles of Mike Conley
Conley, now 37, has seen his minutes decrease significantly. He’s averaging just 23.5 minutes per game, the lowest since his rookie year. This reduction in playtime is mirrored by a dip in his scoring and shooting efficiency. His 3-point percentage is at its lowest since the 2017-2018 season, raising concerns about his legs and overall stamina.
The Timberwolves’ strategy relied heavily on Conley maintaining his form for at least another season. The plan was for Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, to learn under Conley’s tutelage and eventually take over the starting role. However, Dillingham has not yet shown he is ready to step up, leaving the team in a precarious position.
Exploring Alternatives
With Conley’s performance waning and Dillingham not yet ready, the Timberwolves have experimented with other options. Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards have both played quit a bit of point guard, but the results have been mixed. DiVincenzo’s time at point guard has been particularly challenging, and while Edwards is the more effective player overall, he cannot shoulder the point guard responsibilities full-time without impacting his primary role.
The Timberwolves’ current predicament highlights the importance of having a reliable backup point guard. Last season, the team managed to navigate similar challenges by acquiring Monte Morris, but this year, the options are limited. The front office’s decision to draft Dillingham was a long-term investment, but the immediate need for a solution is pressing.
As the Timberwolves continue to search for answers, the pressure mounts. The team is at a crossroads, needing to either find a way to maximize Conley’s remaining abilities or accelerate Dillingham’s development. The upcoming games will be crucial in determining the direction the team takes.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Timberwolves’ point guard situation, tune into the Locked On Wolves podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Wolves Podcast:
- Analysis of the Timberwolves’ recent performance against the Sacramento Kings.
- The impact of the Timberwolves’ recent trades on team dynamics.
- A look at the Timberwolves’ upcoming schedule and key matchups.
- Discussion on the Timberwolves’ strategy for integrating young talent into the lineup.
I held off on writing about the apparent rash, or rise, of early-season athlete injuries because there’s always some recency bias involved when the subject comes up. Are there really more injuries this year than any other? Do we have the data to support it? Is there a new, underlying cause? Or are injuries due to the same compounding mix of bad luck and the NBA’s 82-game schedule running into a long postseason, running into the offseason, running back into a brand new long regular season and the erosion of bodies this eventually leads to?
A report early this week showed early-season injuries were up 35%, and indeed ESPN’s list of injuries, at a glance, looks like a ferocious Christmas tree, lit up in blazing reds and yellows. A handful of teams (the Grizzlies, Pelicans, Raptors) are cobbling together rosters game-to-game depending on who’s still healthy. TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott ran a draft of the injured list this week and each team reads like an All-Star squad on steroids, and when Abbott printed out the league’s official injury report it was 10 pages long.
Injuries are definitely up — but why?
The Paris Olympics proved extra playing time for a few top-tier stars, but most of them remain healthy. The early season schedule hasn’t served up any more back-to-backs to longer road game stretches, which tend to be more gruelling on athletes, than usual. However, when everything appears to be normal and the bodily price is anything but, perhaps it’s time to examine that “normal”.
The NBA’s current schedule of 82 games was adopted in 1967. Already, I’m sure your brain is picturing black and white basketball, that’s good. When you picture that grainy, glitchy footage, how fast is it going? The reality is that the game used to be a lot slower. Not just in its mechanics (think of an offensive passing sequence, the ball flipping from set of hands to hands at a speed that can be hard to follow), but the athleticism too. Bodies were moving slower. The game was still physical — the trope of players from the 80s and 90s complaining about the “softness” of current athletes is a trope for a reason — but full tilt sprinting, cutting, complex rotations, these weren’t the norm. Given that, the bodily mechanics were different. Guys weren’t stopping on a dime, pivoting hard, having to force their ligaments and muscles and bones into exacting motions with all sorts of volatile force behind them.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Analysis A few weeks into the season, and there have been some surprises. The Athletic looks at eight players to get to know better. (The Athletic, subscription required)
Preview Get ready for the NBA Cup clash between the Timberwolves and Kings. With both teams eager to advance, it’s set to be a thrilling matchup. (Canis Hoopus)
Analysis Dive into the latest analysis of the Timberwolves’ dynamic trio: Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Chris Finch. What makes this team click? (Star Tribune)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Replay: Navigating the injury bug
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) holds his leg after a hard following a play against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Paycom Center.|Photo by Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
This week in the fantasy basketball world has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. A major talking point has been Chet Holmgren’s unfortunate injury, which has fantasy managers scrambling for replacements as the Oklahoma City Thunder adjust with potential lineup changes. Keep an eye on players like Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace — who might see increased minutes — and consider them as temporary pickups in deeper leagues.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Wolves podcasts.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have a point guard problem - but what’s the solution? The Minnesota Timberwolves have a point guard problem. But if Mike Conley is part of the problem, then what’s the realistic solution that Chris Finch and the Wolves might be able to turn to?
