The Minnesota Timberwolves are 12 games into the new NBA season. Even though it feels like it has barely started, nearly 15% of their 2024-2025 campaign has come and gone. There has already been one game for the in-season tournament (which did NOT go well) and the Wolves find themselves in the middle of the pack out west.
Despite the slow start, there is plenty of time left in the year. The Timberwolves are not the only team in the league that has struggled to find its footing while having high hopes of contending. The Dallas Mavericks are barely hovering around .500, the Philadelphia 76ers are well below that mark, and the Milwaukee Bucks look awful. These are teams that will more than likely be in the postseason picture at the end of the season. The standings mean next to nothing at this time, so there is no need to panic.
On the other hand, this is the time of year when underperforming athletes’ struggles become a precedent for the rest of the season. Minnesota has encountered this problem with one of its starters, and it just might be time for a change.
Timberwolves Could Make a Change at Point Guard
Although the Wolves were hoping for a repeat season or better for many of their players from last year, Mike Conley has shown his age. He is coming off a season where he shot 44.2% from three and led the team in assists. For his age, he played a healthy number of minutes and was one of the main catalysts for the NBA’s best defensive team. He played a key role in the conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, especially in the win-or-go-home game that will live forever in Wolves history. Minnesota Mike has always been rock solid, making very few mistakes on both ends of the floor. He has also been a crucial veteran presence on a young team with great potential.
At 37 years old, Conley’s best days are behind him, and all Chris Finch wants from him is to be a solid starting point guard. Fans were hoping he could build on last year’s success, even have a slightly worse season than last year. Unfortunately, the regression has come much quicker than expected.
Stats Tell the Story
This season, Conley is averaging 7.4 points per game on 31.3% from the field and 30.9% from three. To put it in perspective, that’s a 4.0-point dropoff from last year, and both his percentages are down about 14%. His assists are down too, going from 5.9 per game last year to 4.7 per game this year. As a result, his minutes have gone from 28.9 per game last year to 23.5 per game this year.
His ineffectiveness is not just bad for the Timberwolves’ offense; their defense takes a hit as well. However, it’s not what you would think. Conley has been active defensively, averaging 1.4 steals per game. That is an improvement from last year, and he has been critical in mending a struggling team defense with new pieces. If MC can’t make any shots, he gets less playing time. If he gets less playing time, the defense has to adjust. He has a +15 plus/minus, so he is still useful on the floor. If he can’t fix his shot, it might be time to make adjustments.
Wolves Have Options at Point Guard
Mike Conley certainly still deserves minutes at point guard. The question is whether he should be featured in the starting lineup. Minnesota’s depth is among the best in the league, so naturally, they have an array of players to choose from. The coaches can view the matter from three different perspectives: the old, the reliable, and the new. Each viewpoint yields different results.
The Old: Mike Conley
No one is forcing Chris Finch to make a change. He has been able to rely on Conley ever since he came over in the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers, and he has a lot of faith in him. If Minnesota’s head coach trusts that Mike will turn it around, he will remain in the starting lineup. Maybe that trust will motivate him to find answers. This is the best-case scenario as he has proven he can embrace the role and thrive. Time is running out, but he could easily catch fire and put the critics, including myself, to rest.
The Reliable: Donte DiVincenzo/Nickeil Alexander-Walker
One could argue that Donte DiVincenzo would fall under the “new” category, but seeing as he has been in the league for a few years now and had great success, he belongs here. Even though Donte has also been struggling with his shot recently (2/16 from beyond the arc in the last three games), he is in a different situation than Conley. He’s on a brand new team after having the best season of his career in New York last year. He’s in the middle of his prime, so his play should steadily improve. Maybe having him as a starter could be the key to unlocking Julius Randle, as they were teammates a year ago.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is grossly underpaid for how much he does to help his team. Consequently, he is likely in his final year with the Timberwolves, as they can’t really afford to pay him as much as other teams would. Nickeil seems to know that, and he has done what high school coaches love but barely see: he is playing every game like it’s his last. He defends extremely well to the point where some might wonder how he has so much energy. He is a highly reliable catch-and-shoot weapon, shooting 47.7% from three. What’s more, NAW played in all 82 games last season, which is something that not many guys can do, especially when they play as hard as he does. While Alexander-Walker is a shooting guard by nature, he has seen plenty of time at the point, so he is comfortable enough to be a starter.
The New: Rob Dillingham
This is what most teams with the eighth overall pick would do. However, the Timberwolves have been hesitant to use Rob Dillingham in the rotation. What people saw on Wednesday night against the Trail Blazers was encouraging; in nine minutes, he hit one of two three-pointers and held his own on defense. He was not careless with the ball, only committing three turnovers (and one of them was not his fault). Rob did not foul once, and he was attentive in the team huddles. It was a great learning experience, and hopefully it was enough to convince Finch to put him in the rotation. Will he start? Most likely not. But if Minnesota wants to get back to their winning ways, they need to take some risks. This could be one of them.
The Last Word On Mike Conley
Mike Conley has been with the Timberwolves for less than two seasons, but it already feels like he has done so much for the franchise. Helping to guide a young and inexperienced team to the Western Conference Finals, as well as being the key to unlocking Rudy Gobert, he is already a beloved piece of this team. The bumpy start is reason to worry, yes, but it is not reason to panic. Mike knows he needs to be better, and no one wants to see him get benched. He is more than capable of turning things around, but he is very aware that the clock is ticking.
