Losing Donte DiVincenzo looked like one of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ biggest setbacks entering the 2026-27 season. The veteran guard started all 82 regular-season games before tearing his Achilles in the first round of the playoffs, leaving Minnesota without one of its toughest perimeter defenders and emotional leaders.
The Timberwolves spent the offseason restructuring their roster around Anthony Edwards by acquiring LaMelo Ball. Most of the attention naturally centered on the former All-Star point guard. Yet another player who arrived in the blockbuster deal may help solve one of Minnesota’s problems right away.
Josh Green may never match DiVincenzo’s production. He may not have to.
Chris Finch Already Has a Donte DiVincenzo Replacement
Timberwolves Value Josh Green Beyond Box Scores
When Minnesota acquired Green alongside Ball, many viewed him as the salary needed to complete the trade. His numbers did little to change that perception. In 58 games with the Charlotte Hornets last season, Green averaged 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 15.7 minutes. Those statistics, however, do not explain why the Timberwolves wanted him.
Throughout the offseason, head coach Chris Finch and president Tim Connelly have consistently emphasized versatility, toughness and winning plays after the franchise entered its biggest summer in years.
Finch described Green as someone whose skill set fits multiple lineup combinations because of his defensive versatility and innate toughness.
Connelly has repeatedly built contenders around players willing to accept smaller offensive roles while impacting games in other ways. That philosophy also addresses Minnesota’s offensive balance, making Green a more important addition than his box scores suggest.
Chris Finch Values Winning Plays
DiVincenzo became one of Finch’s favorite players because he consistently influenced possessions that never appeared in scoring summaries.
He chased loose balls, defended multiple positions, spaced the floor, communicated on defense and brought constant energy to Minnesota’s starting lineup. When his season ended with an Achilles injury, Finch admitted the loss extended beyond basketball ability, calling DiVincenzo “the heart and soul of so many things we do.” Connelly echoed that sentiment after the season.
He said many people focus on DiVincenzo’s shooting, but he believed his toughness and competitive spirit would be missed even more. Those comments revealed exactly what Minnesota needed to replace.
Josh Green Brings Similar Traits
Green enters Minnesota with many of the same qualities. At 6-foot-6, he has spent much of his NBA career defending multiple positions. During Dallas’ run to the 2024 NBA Finals, he filled whatever role the Mavericks needed, whether starting, coming off the bench or defending larger wings. That willingness to adapt has continued through stops in Charlotte and now Minnesota.
Green also gives Finch another reliable perimeter shooter. He connected on 42.0% of his 3-point attempts last season, making him a credible floor spacer even in a limited offensive role.
Those numbers are not overwhelming, nor do they need to be. Minnesota already has primary scorers in Edwards and Ball. Green’s value comes from everything that happens between their touches.
Opportunity Could Arrive Quickly
DiVincenzo’s injury leaves meaningful minutes available from opening night. Green could earn those opportunities because he does not require the ball to impact games. He runs the floor, cuts without hesitation, defends across the perimeter and willingly accepts difficult assignments. Those habits allow stars like Edwards and Ball to spend more energy creating offense.
Finch has already suggested Green’s versatility gives Minnesota flexibility across different lineup combinations. That could become especially valuable while the Timberwolves continue searching for answers at power forward and wait for DiVincenzo’s eventual return.
Green is unlikely to replace DiVincenzo’s leadership overnight. He can, however, replace many of the possessions that made DiVincenzo indispensable. That may prove just as important.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
