Identity crisis?

[Note30]

I think we are missing Kyle Anderson more than we thought.

He provided defense and passing, which, I agree, seem to be two of our biggest issues right now.

Dwight Powell is another big who has a pretty high IQ. Fills that backup big role pretty well

[TimberKat]

I think we are missing Kyle Anderson more than we thought.

He provided defense and passing, which, I agree, seem to be two of our biggest issues right now.

People complain why Finch play KA last year, well that is the reason

[Klomp]

I think we are missing Kyle Anderson more than we thought.

He provided defense and passing, which, I agree, seem to be two of our biggest issues right now.

People complain why Finch play KA last year, well that is the reason

Almost like there's a chance he knows more than internet rubes.

[cmoss84]

I never really thought this the entire season, and I really like the guy. But NAW needs to resign. He's my homie.

[minimus]

Every year Finch is given a weird, difficult roster problem. Every year, he figures out a way to make it work.

2022: Build around KAT and D'Lo, two of the worst pick & roll defenders at their position. This should have been a bottom 10 defense, instead Finch comes up with an innovative trapping scheme that unearths actual defensive strengths for Towns (switchability and speed on traps) and D'Lo (nail help and communication). The league eventually figures the scheme out and beats the traps (while also figuring out how to make Vando unplayable), but this scheme was why we made the playoffs and finished with a 13th ranked defense instead of a 25th ranked one. Finch even builds a second, more conservative scheme that helps us finish the season strong.

2023: Ok Finchy, now build around 2 centers in the starting lineup. One can shoot and one can't defend. Oh now the shooter is injured, and the defender has a big back. After an ugly start to the season, this team coalesces around a top 10 defense. On the offensive end, Finch gets the ball out of the hands of the erratic D'Lo and lets SloMo run the show. We end up getting a point guard upgrade and go into the playoffs looking strong. Unfortunately Jaden punches a wall, and Towns looks a little weak coming back from injury. We still look respectful against the eventual champs.

2024: All the ingredients in place, no new funky roster problems to solves, Finch keeps the ship steady on the way to the best season since 2004 and arguably ever. I'm still mad Finch couldn't throw more at Luka. Ironic that I'm most mad at Finch in by far our best season.

2025: After all the mental gymnastics Finch did over the years to make Towns work, they trade him. Now we ask Finch to approach last seasons' success, but now there are 2 bigs that can't shoot. We're also out of high IQ passers, because SloMo is gone and Conley is old now. Oh and Randle decides to start the season with the defensive effort level of a sloth on fentanyl. Oh and Rudy looks older and like he maybe can't play offense anymore. Ugly awful start, but once again... Finch figures this roster out. We become a whirling dirvish of drive and kicks, putting Randle and Ant in playmaking situations they're actually comfortable with. Finch finally lets Jaden out of his cage as a driver. We finish the season a top 5 defense, and a top 10 offense.

We're just being one of those fanbases that blames the coach for anything going wrong we can't understand. To me, Finch has been a consistent problem solver who has been given complicated roster puzzles and that he always eventually solves.

I just want to add a few details:

In 2021, Giannis won a championship and sparked a wave of copycats.

Watch on YouTube

In 2021–22, Towns led all big men in drives per game (7.9). In 2022–23, he again led all bigs with 7.3 drives per game. In 2023–24, he averaged 9.5 drives per game — second only to Jaren Jackson Jr.

The vision wasn’t just to leverage Towns’ three-point gravity, but also to benefit from his downhill scoring ability. The idea was to build an offense where both Towns and Edwards could attack the paint and hit perimeter shots — creating a sort of perpetual motion offense.

The problem? A combination of Towns’ frequent offensive fouls, and the lack of high-level decision-making and passing from both him and Edwards. Add to that Karl’s poor pick-and-roll defense, and it significantly limits the team’s ceiling.

Finch has said multiple times he’s not a fan of heliocentric offense — but the truth is, neither Towns nor Edwards can truly carry a heliocentric system as the lone superstar. That’s why Minnesota must build around two stars with elite chemistry — unless Edwards makes another leap and becomes that guy.

So unless every setup shot comes from an out of bounds play, stop blaming Finch for the roster construction. No team successfully runs those sorts of plays without multiple high IQ facilitators. You want to be the 2012-14 Spurs? go get Manu, Tony, Diaw, TD to facilitate, then we can have the **** dream you're dreaming. I wrote this in a post here long ago that by placing so much pressure to win on essentially the back of a then 20 year old, we'd be doing that player a massive disservice and not allowing him to develop fully. Lo and behold.

This is how Boston built a championship team — through continuous development of Tatum and Brown, who were once awful decision-makers. But inside a functional offense, surrounded by veterans and ideal chemistry, those issues were minimized.

Watch on YouTube

I wonder if, without the new CBA, Minnesota would’ve tried to follow the same path. But with the 2nd apron restrictions, it no longer seems viable. On paper, though, the addition of Randle and DDV gives us a somewhat similar structure: added a big who can drive and pass, and a high-volume 3-point shooter.

Randle was top-3 in drives per game last season — just like Towns in previous years. MIN may end up with a deeper overall rotation than BOS, but Boston has more versatile players at key positions.

Here’s a rough positional comparison:

– Defensive anchor: KP – Gobert (KP can catch lobs, hit threes, and shoot midrange — Gobert can’t)
– Stretch C/PF: Horford – Reid (Horford is still an elite team defender)
– Downhill driver/scorer: Tatum – Randle
– Three-level scorer: Brown – Edwards
– 3&D guard/wing: White – NAW/McDaniels/Clark (but White is more versatile and experienced as a playmaker/scorer)
– PG: Holiday – Conley (Holiday has the size and strength to guard bigger players)
– 6th man: Pritchard – DDV

If Randle isn’t on the team next season, that leaves big shoes to fill — 10.8 drives per game and 8.3 AST% on drives. Both elite marks across the NBA.

So who replaces that? I think it has to come by committee — from the guys we consider part of the core: McDaniels, Reid, and Edwards.
All three have shown potential as drivers, but none of them are as physical as Randle, and all are below-average passers.

From the 2025 draft class, I really like Danny Wolf as a potential Randle replacement — and he might be available with the 17th pick.
Maybe there’s also a big wing with a Deni Avdija-type skillset, but I haven’t seen that guy yet.

Watch on YouTube

To sum up: In all four seasons under Finch, MIN has relied heavily on the ability of a big man to create offense via downhill drives. If Randle leaves, it’ll be the fourth major shift in offensive identity in five years:

– 2021–22: Towns and Edwards
– 2022–23: Towns, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle
– 2023–24: Towns, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle
– 2024–25: Randle, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle
– 2025–26: ???, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle

[cupcakesnake]

Every year Finch is given a weird, difficult roster problem. Every year, he figures out a way to make it work.

2022: Build around KAT and D'Lo, two of the worst pick & roll defenders at their position. This should have been a bottom 10 defense, instead Finch comes up with an innovative trapping scheme that unearths actual defensive strengths for Towns (switchability and speed on traps) and D'Lo (nail help and communication). The league eventually figures the scheme out and beats the traps (while also figuring out how to make Vando unplayable), but this scheme was why we made the playoffs and finished with a 13th ranked defense instead of a 25th ranked one. Finch even builds a second, more conservative scheme that helps us finish the season strong.

2023: Ok Finchy, now build around 2 centers in the starting lineup. One can shoot and one can't defend. Oh now the shooter is injured, and the defender has a big back. After an ugly start to the season, this team coalesces around a top 10 defense. On the offensive end, Finch gets the ball out of the hands of the erratic D'Lo and lets SloMo run the show. We end up getting a point guard upgrade and go into the playoffs looking strong. Unfortunately Jaden punches a wall, and Towns looks a little weak coming back from injury. We still look respectful against the eventual champs.

2024: All the ingredients in place, no new funky roster problems to solves, Finch keeps the ship steady on the way to the best season since 2004 and arguably ever. I'm still mad Finch couldn't throw more at Luka. Ironic that I'm most mad at Finch in by far our best season.

2025: After all the mental gymnastics Finch did over the years to make Towns work, they trade him. Now we ask Finch to approach last seasons' success, but now there are 2 bigs that can't shoot. We're also out of high IQ passers, because SloMo is gone and Conley is old now. Oh and Randle decides to start the season with the defensive effort level of a sloth on fentanyl. Oh and Rudy looks older and like he maybe can't play offense anymore. Ugly awful start, but once again... Finch figures this roster out. We become a whirling dirvish of drive and kicks, putting Randle and Ant in playmaking situations they're actually comfortable with. Finch finally lets Jaden out of his cage as a driver. We finish the season a top 5 defense, and a top 10 offense.

We're just being one of those fanbases that blames the coach for anything going wrong we can't understand. To me, Finch has been a consistent problem solver who has been given complicated roster puzzles and that he always eventually solves.

I just want to add a few details:

In 2021, Giannis won a championship and sparked a wave of copycats.

Watch on YouTube

In 2021–22, Towns led all big men in drives per game (7.9). In 2022–23, he again led all bigs with 7.3 drives per game. In 2023–24, he averaged 9.5 drives per game — second only to Jaren Jackson Jr.

The vision wasn’t just to leverage Towns’ three-point gravity, but also to benefit from his downhill scoring ability. The idea was to build an offense where both Towns and Edwards could attack the paint and hit perimeter shots — creating a sort of perpetual motion offense.

The problem? A combination of Towns’ frequent offensive fouls, and the lack of high-level decision-making and passing from both him and Edwards. Add to that Karl’s poor pick-and-roll defense, and it significantly limits the team’s ceiling.

Finch has said multiple times he’s not a fan of heliocentric offense — but the truth is, neither Towns nor Edwards can truly carry a heliocentric system as the lone superstar. That’s why Minnesota must build around two stars with elite chemistry — unless Edwards makes another leap and becomes that guy.

So unless every setup shot comes from an out of bounds play, stop blaming Finch for the roster construction. No team successfully runs those sorts of plays without multiple high IQ facilitators. You want to be the 2012-14 Spurs? go get Manu, Tony, Diaw, TD to facilitate, then we can have the **** dream you're dreaming. I wrote this in a post here long ago that by placing so much pressure to win on essentially the back of a then 20 year old, we'd be doing that player a massive disservice and not allowing him to develop fully. Lo and behold.

This is how Boston built a championship team — through continuous development of Tatum and Brown, who were once awful decision-makers. But inside a functional offense, surrounded by veterans and ideal chemistry, those issues were minimized.

Watch on YouTube

I wonder if, without the new CBA, Minnesota would’ve tried to follow the same path. But with the 2nd apron restrictions, it no longer seems viable. On paper, though, the addition of Randle and DDV gives us a somewhat similar structure: added a big who can drive and pass, and a high-volume 3-point shooter.

Randle was top-3 in drives per game last season — just like Towns in previous years. MIN may end up with a deeper overall rotation than BOS, but Boston has more versatile players at key positions.

Here’s a rough positional comparison:

– Defensive anchor: KP – Gobert (KP can catch lobs, hit threes, and shoot midrange — Gobert can’t)
– Stretch C/PF: Horford – Reid (Horford is still an elite team defender)
– Downhill driver/scorer: Tatum – Randle
– Three-level scorer: Brown – Edwards
– 3&D guard/wing: White – NAW/McDaniels/Clark (but White is more versatile and experienced as a playmaker/scorer)
– PG: Holiday – Conley (Holiday has the size and strength to guard bigger players)
– 6th man: Pritchard – DDV

If Randle isn’t on the team next season, that leaves big shoes to fill — 10.8 drives per game and 8.3 AST% on drives. Both elite marks across the NBA.

So who replaces that? I think it has to come by committee — from the guys we consider part of the core: McDaniels, Reid, and Edwards.
All three have shown potential as drivers, but none of them are as physical as Randle, and all are below-average passers.

From the 2025 draft class, I really like Danny Wolf as a potential Randle replacement — and he might be available with the 17th pick.
Maybe there’s also a big wing with a Deni Avdija-type skillset, but I haven’t seen that guy yet.

Watch on YouTube

To sum up: In all four seasons under Finch, MIN has relied heavily on the ability of a big man to create offense via downhill drives. If Randle leaves, it’ll be the fourth major shift in offensive identity in five years:

– 2021–22: Towns and Edwards
– 2022–23: Towns, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle
– 2023–24: Towns, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle
– 2024–25: Randle, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle
– 2025–26: ???, Edwards, and Gobert in the middle

This is all good stuff.

I would point out that Naz and Jaden are really good drivers and could absolutely absorb more possessions, should Randle not be on the team next year. Neither of them are strong passers. Towns was never a good passer off the drive. Randle is by far the best driving/passing big we've had, but his decision making can get very erratic night to night.

In Boston, absolutely Tatum and Brown have improved, but the eventual upgrades of Jrue and White have also meant the Jays have spent plenty of time as the lowest IQ players on the floor (at least in a Jrue/White/Horford lineup). The T-Wolves have tried to add playmaking on the margins as well. Slo Mo was huge for us until his shot regressed enough to make him an awkward fit in too many lineups. Conley was transformative but we got him at the end of his career. Joe Ingles was our latest attempt but we got him even later. NAW growing into a glue guy playmaker is one of the reasons he's been our most important lineup unlocker this year.

In terms of the T-Wolves long term plans, we have a ton of money invested in Ant and Jaden. Naz is arguably the most well liked player in franchise history, and I assume the Wolves will to everything to keep him. NAW feels super important, but who knows what the offseason will bring. Thank goodness DDV is affordable and we've got very interesting young guys coming up. It's unclear where the necessary BBIQ/decision making acumen is coming from on this roster though. Conley will probably finish out his contract but every good Conley game feels like a bonus at this point.

I think it's going to be our achilles heel until further notice. This team doesn't project to be a clever one.

[minimus]

I think it's going to be our achilles heel until further notice. This team doesn't project to be a clever one.

Yep. MIN need to keep adding high-IQ guys like Clark and keep “stacking days” — in other words, building the kind of environment where Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Rob, and TJ can gain more meaningful experience. And I believe there’s no more valuable environment than playing competitive basketball — especially in the playoffs. I really liked how Kenny Atkinson described competitiveness as playing smart and hard basketball.

[cupcakesnake]

I think we are missing Kyle Anderson more than we thought.

He provided defense and passing, which, I agree, seem to be two of our biggest issues right now.

People complain why Finch play KA last year, well that is the reason

Almost like there's a chance he knows more than internet rubes.

I don't think there's anything mysterious about why we didn't play Kyle Anderson more. Slo Mo's shot completely fell apart and that really changed how he could be deployed in lineups. The man was never a shooter, but he was fine to shoot an occasional 3 if you left him wide open, and he was aggressive in the short midrange. Second year in Minnesota, the hitch in his shooting form became exagerated to the point where it looked like he was pausing mid shot. 3-point dropped from 41% to 23%, and worse, that strong scoring game in the middle of the paint went from 51% to 43%. Becoming a total zero as a scoring threat changed his game, and made it much more awkward to fit him in with lineups that were already a bit spacing starved with Gobert and McDaniels (and Towns playing plenty in the post.)

The roster context also changed around him. With D'Lo as our guard, we badly needed a steady ball handler. Conley made that much less urgent. Towns missed most of the season, so there were minutes at power forward. We used Naz that year as a backup 5, so it was vital to have another defensive player out there with some length. Slo Mo was patching up all our weaknesses. The next year, Towns was healthy and we had 3 bigs needing big minutes, which means near-constant 2-big lineups. Slo Mo picked the worst time to get worse at shooting because he was an awkward fit all of a sudden instead of the missing piece of the puzzle.

The guy was still good and useful. His defense was really amazing. In some situations he was our best defender. He was the only guy we could put on Luka. It was sad to lose such a great dimes & defense player, but it made sense at the time to let him walk and pick up Ingles. Hasn't worked out due to INgles health, but we hoped we were getting a high IQ guy who could also shoot. Slo Mo might have similarly struggled this year, though his shot has rebounded nicely in Golden State and Miami.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

1) inverted pick-n-roll, Steph sets screen for Butler (btw Curry is not only excellent off ball player, he has been consistently one of the best in NBA screeners among guards, something that Edwards needs to learn)

2) Butler touches the paint, and Edey rotates and leaves non shooting Green in corner. In other words Edey leaves whole corner free

3) Butler makes excellent skip pass (btw it is easier for big players to catch such passes because of their wingspan and size)

4) Green plays grenade DHO with Curry, who has whole corner free to shoot practice 3PT shot

This how GSW smallball Green-Butler-GP2-Podz-Curry lineup beats much bigger MEM lineup Edey-JJJ-Pippen-Bane-Morant: combination of screening, off ball movement and elite passing and shooting.

What if Collin Murray-Boyles is available with DET pick? Would you draft him? Or Yaxel Lendeborg is available with UTA pick?

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Can CMB/Lendeborg form an elite smallball bench unit with Reid-NAW-Clark-Dillingham? Both CMB/Lendeborg are undersized bigs who have physicality, rebounding, passing skills some defensive versatility and toughness.

[minimus]

Regardless of how this playoff run ends, I’m really curious about the direction the organization will take under Tim Connelly and Finch’s vision. Recently, I rewatched some games, and the first thing that caught my eye was TJ Shannon’s performance as a big wing when Randle and Gobert were out. He was flying in transition, attacking from the corners, grabbing rebounds — and, most impressively, he was very physical, aggressively attacking matchups.

This is the first must-have trait of a successful small-ball identity: be physical and aggressive when attacking matchups.
IMO Edwards still has a lot of room to grow here if we compare him to guys like SGA, Doncic, or Jokic.

Watch on YouTube

Against LAL, TJ went off after Edwards was ejected. A few of his fast break possessions came directly off defensive rebounds by DDV, who was effectively playing a small-ball big role and initiating the outlet pass. That sequence really stood out to me, considering MIN ranks dead last in transition offense.

This leads to the second must-have small-ball trait: 100% effort on the boards and pushing the break immediately.

Watch on YouTube

Finally, I started thinking about what MIN needs to successfully adopt OKC’s defensive identity. IMO the biggest gap is wing depth and physicality.
OKC’s wings — Dort, JDub, Caruso — are significantly more physical than McDaniels or NAW.

This is why I’m encouraged by the development of Jaylen Clark and TJ Shannon.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

I also recently asked about Nique Clifford — a tough, tenacious rebounding guard with developing ball skills. (Other potential targets: Carter Bryant, Adou Thiero.)
As for bigs: I like Maxime Raynaud. (Alternatives: Danny Wolf, Thomas Sorber, Alex Condon, Yaxel Lendeborg, or CMB.)

Drafting both Clifford and Raynaud might not sound sexy, and let’s say this is the floor outcome from the 2025 draft, but in terms of fit and identity, there’s a lot to like.

I saw many comparison for Nique Clifford as Josh Hart thanks of his elite rebounding numbers (9.6RPG). But after watching him, he reminds me of Derrick White. How comfortable you would be drafting him with DET pick considering our logjam at SG position? Can he play SF?

I'd be pretty satisfied with that pick. I think he would be a guy who could work his way quickly into Finch's rotation.

I saw many comparison for Nique Clifford as Josh Hart thanks of his elite rebounding numbers (9.6RPG). But after watching him, he reminds me of Derrick White. How comfortable you would be drafting him with DET pick considering our logjam at SG position? Can he play SF?

I'd be pretty satisfied with that pick. I think he would be a guy who could work his way quickly into Finch's rotation.

I like him as a player but the fit just isn't there. Unless either him or TSJ can play the 4 with the idea being to play a Clark-Shannon-Clifford lineup at the 2-3-4 spots.

Watch on YouTube

If Maxime Raynaud is available with 31th pick, would you draft him? My idea behind is that he is french bigman who can learn from Gobert, improve his body (like Garza did). He reminds me Hartenstein, which obviously would be an ideal outcome.

He reminds me more of KAT than Hartenstein.

Similar style as a stretch 5 that can also put the ball on the floor. 3pt% wasn't there this season but he was over 40% last season and his form isn't broken (needs to move his off hand from the top of the ball). Not a great defender, although there's something there just by virtue of being a 7fter.

I think he fits offensively what Finch likes in bigs and as a 7fter with range offers us something we don't currently have. Not sure if he'd be my main target at 31 but if we got him I wouldn't be disappointed.

Basically, by drafting both, MIN could replace Randle with Reid as the PF next to Rudy, and replace Garza with a full-sized stretch 5 backup.

In my opinion, Garza’s biggest issue isn’t defense — it’s the combination of his 27.8% from deep (he often bricks wide open threes) and his lack of passing/playmaking.
Clifford, meanwhile, gives us a big-bodied guard who can rebound, protect the rim, pass, and (hopefully) hit open threes.

Assuming:
- Reid and NAW are re-signed
- Randle is traded
- Conley retires

Then:
- NAW moves from McDaniels’ backup to more of an Edwards/Rob backup
- TJ and Clifford add toughness as backup wings

Playing time and role — compared with OKC:
- Edwards – 34 min | three-level scorer (SGA)
- Gobert – 28 min | drop big (Hartenstein)
- McDaniels – 30 min | weak-side rim protector (JW)
- Clifford/TJ – physical 3&D wings (Dort)
- Clark/NAW – 3&D guards (Caruso)
- Reid – 30 min | stretch 4 & backup 5 (Aaron Wiggins???)
- Dillingham – 20 min | bench scorer (Isaiah Joe)

Rotation:
- Gobert (28) / Raynaud (15) / Reid (5)
- Reid (25) / McDaniels (15) / Minott (5)
- McDaniels (25) / TJ (15) / Clifford (8)
- Edwards (34) / NAW (15) / Clark (9)
- DDV (25) / Dillingham (20) / NAW (3)

As I said, this might be close to the lowest realistic outcome from the 2025 draft. But in my opinion, the highest outcome would be landing Danny Wolf and Adou Thiero. If these guys are as good as advertised, I am happy to give them all Minott, Garza and Miller minutes
- Gobert (28) / Wolf (15) / Reid (5)
- Reid (25) / Thiero (18) / McDaniels (5)
- McDaniels (25) / TJ (15) / Clark (8)
- Edwards (34) / NAW (15) / Clark (9)
- DDV (25) / Dillingham (20) / NAW (3)

This version of the roster could elevate the entire lineup to a new level of physicality, matchup hunting, and positional versatility.

[minimus]

Watching Gobert, Reid, and Randle in the series against LAL, I keep thinking: what type of big should MIN add to improve the offense?

Here are some possible archetypes:
Rim-runner, offensive rebounder, strong and physical big – example: Day’Ron Sharpe

Watch on YouTube

Rim-runner, offensive rebounder, long and mobile – example: Joan Beringer

Watch on YouTube

Below-the-rim, defense-first, strong and physical big, elite on defensive glass – example: Thomas Sorber

Watch on YouTube

Below-the-rim, offensive-minded, mobile big with some guard skills – example: Danny Wolf

Watch on YouTube

Above-the-rim, stretch four with upside – example: Rasheer Fleming

Watch on YouTube

Given MIN’s depth at SG/PG/SF, I feel like the big man rotation is clearly the biggest area for improvement. But adding a new player to a semi-established group isn’t just about talent — it’s about skillset and fit.

That’s why I have a few key questions when evaluating which big to target:
1. Does the coaching staff want to play more pick-and-roll offense or lean further into motion offense?
Do they want to increase the volume of DHOs (dribble handoffs)?
2. Do they want the big to act more as a facilitator/initator (a la Kyle Anderson), or more as a finisher — whether that’s a rim-runner or a stretch four/five?
3. Do they want the big to play with pace?
Should he be someone who can push the tempo, run the floor, and generate easy buckets in transition right after grabbing a rebound?

These answers could shift the profile of the big MIN should pursue. Right now, we have drop defender (Gobert), stretch-big hybrid (Reid), and physical driver (Randle). But none of them combine all three traits: speed, passing, and physicality.

[frankenwolf]

Watching Gobert, Reid, and Randle in the series against LAL, I keep thinking: what type of big should MIN add to improve the offense?

Given MIN’s depth at SG/PG/SF, I feel like the big man rotation is clearly the biggest area for improvement. But adding a new player to a semi-established group isn’t just about talent — it’s about skillset and fit.

That’s why I have a few key questions when evaluating which big to target:
1. Does the coaching staff want to play more pick-and-roll offense or lean further into motion offense?
Do they want to increase the volume of DHOs (dribble handoffs)?
2. Do they want the big to act more as a facilitator/initator (a la Kyle Anderson), or more as a finisher — whether that’s a rim-runner or a stretch four/five?
3. Do they want the big to play with pace?
Should he be someone who can push the tempo, run the floor, and generate easy buckets in transition right after grabbing a rebound?

These answers could shift the profile of the big MIN should pursue. Right now, we have drop defender (Gobert), stretch-big hybrid (Reid), and physical driver (Randle). But none of them combine all three traits: speed, passing, and physicality.

1) More motion. I can't see Finch backing off this point. DHO's is a big part of the motion, I think.
2) Yes
3) Yes

If we could get Jokic from Denver, that would be great.

Who know for sure? I'm betting that they play Dilly more next year, have him play in the SL again just to get reps. If there is a decent PG project in the 2nd round, I could see them drafting them, but I think this season has shown that the Wolves also need another big (larger than Naz & Randle) so that the defensive production doesn't drop off as much.

[minimus]

I was watching the LAC vs DEN series, and one thing immediately stood out to me.

LAC opened their first few possessions by using Zubac as an offensive hub — they trusted him as a facilitator, and he made three really good plays:
- he made a kickout pass to the perimeter
- he touched the ball at the top of the key, acting as a five-out big
- he caught the ball at the nail to help Harden beat pressure, then quickly made the next pass

I was honestly surprised how smooth the offense looked, even without a true point guard. Both LAC and DEN are mostly playing with combo guards (Harden/Dunn/Bogdanovic for LAC, Murray/Braun for DEN) as primary ballhandlers. Yet the ball movement flows because the big man — Zubac — consistently offers himself as an easy target whenever teammates are pressured, pick up their dribble, or get trapped by a double team or blitz.

Zubac is massive but mobile enough, with good hands and a long wingspan, so it’s easier to find him even with imperfect passes.

Of course, Zubac is one of the top bigs in the NBA — experienced, skilled, a DPOY-level defender. But my question is: can MIN improve their offense by adding a big man who can consistently catch passes, finish around the rim (short jumpers, push shots, floaters, hooks), and pass the ball?

It feels like adding another important dimension to the offense — and it’s not something new. Last season, MIN had two players who helped fill that role: KAT and Kyle Anderson.
- KAT could do everything with the ball but was prone to turnovers and offensive fouls when doubled.
- Kyle Anderson couldn’t shoot threes or finish well around the rim but had a very functional long floater (he led the NBA in floater efficiency) and was an excellent decision-maker.

This season, MIN replaced that “connector” role with Randle. While effective, he is smaller than both KAT and Anderson (Anderson has a massive 7’3” wingspan). Randle is more of a drive-and-kick or post-up-and-kick passer.

Meanwhile, Finch shifted the offensive system toward a more reactionary, high-volume three-point shooting approach. But not having guys like Towns or Anderson left real holes:
- In the last two seasons, Kyle Anderson was MIN’s best weapon against zone defenses. This season, MIN struggles badly against zones.
- MIN’s backcourt without Conley relies mostly on mediocre decision-makers and ballhandlers (Edwards, DDV, NAW).
What makes it worse is that MIN doesn’t have a big man who can catch and move the ball either. As a result, the offense is exposed at both the guard and center positions, and it often looks clunky and stagnant.
- When a big man can receive and move the ball, it gives ballhandlers a few moments to relocate, cut, and reset. If a big man can pass, it makes double-teaming much harder and relieves pressure across the offense.

Gobert is not this type of big man — and that’s fine, considering what he brings on defense. But the real question is: can TC find a player with this archetype?

I am not saying the player has to be NBA-ready immediately, but he should have the combination of good hands, passing instincts, IQ, competitiveness, and overall skill to develop into this role.

As I said before, I would prioritize finding a high-IQ big man with good hands over just finding a big who can shoot threes. It feels like the modern “five-out big” is often reduced to just “big who can hit an open three” (see Myles Turner). But for me, it’s more about a big who can play in the flow of the game, help his teammates, and make smart decisions — like Hartenstein, Zubac, or a healthy version of Kyle Anderson.

[TimberKat]

I was watching the LAC vs DEN series, and one thing immediately stood out to me.

LAC opened their first few possessions by using Zubac as an offensive hub — they trusted him as a facilitator, and he made three really good plays:
- he made a kickout pass to the perimeter
- he touched the ball at the top of the key, acting as a five-out big
- he caught the ball at the nail to help Harden beat pressure, then quickly made the next pass

I was honestly surprised how smooth the offense looked, even without a true point guard. Both LAC and DEN are mostly playing with combo guards (Harden/Dunn/Bogdanovic for LAC, Murray/Braun for DEN) as primary ballhandlers. Yet the ball movement flows because the big man — Zubac — consistently offers himself as an easy target whenever teammates are pressured, pick up their dribble, or get trapped by a double team or blitz.

Zubac is massive but mobile enough, with good hands and a long wingspan, so it’s easier to find him even with imperfect passes.

Of course, Zubac is one of the top bigs in the NBA — experienced, skilled, a DPOY-level defender. But my question is: can MIN improve their offense by adding a big man who can consistently catch passes, finish around the rim (short jumpers, push shots, floaters, hooks), and pass the ball?

It feels like adding another important dimension to the offense — and it’s not something new. Last season, MIN had two players who helped fill that role: KAT and Kyle Anderson.
- KAT could do everything with the ball but was prone to turnovers and offensive fouls when doubled.
- Kyle Anderson couldn’t shoot threes or finish well around the rim but had a very functional long floater (he led the NBA in floater efficiency) and was an excellent decision-maker.

This season, MIN replaced that “connector” role with Randle. While effective, he is smaller than both KAT and Anderson (Anderson has a massive 7’3” wingspan). Randle is more of a drive-and-kick or post-up-and-kick passer.

Meanwhile, Finch shifted the offensive system toward a more reactionary, high-volume three-point shooting approach. But not having guys like Towns or Anderson left real holes:
- In the last two seasons, Kyle Anderson was MIN’s best weapon against zone defenses. This season, MIN struggles badly against zones.
- MIN’s backcourt without Conley relies mostly on mediocre decision-makers and ballhandlers (Edwards, DDV, NAW).
What makes it worse is that MIN doesn’t have a big man who can catch and move the ball either. As a result, the offense is exposed at both the guard and center positions, and it often looks clunky and stagnant.
- When a big man can receive and move the ball, it gives ballhandlers a few moments to relocate, cut, and reset. If a big man can pass, it makes double-teaming much harder and relieves pressure across the offense.

Gobert is not this type of big man — and that’s fine, considering what he brings on defense. But the real question is: can TC find a player with this archetype?

I am not saying the player has to be NBA-ready immediately, but he should have the combination of good hands, passing instincts, IQ, competitiveness, and overall skill to develop into this role.

As I said before, I would prioritize finding a high-IQ big man with good hands over just finding a big who can shoot threes. It feels like the modern “five-out big” is often reduced to just “big who can hit an open three” (see Myles Turner). But for me, it’s more about a big who can play in the flow of the game, help his teammates, and make smart decisions — like Hartenstein, Zubac, or a healthy version of Kyle Anderson.

While I agree with your post, Wolves could use Gobert in that way. There were a few games they force feed Gobert first and he was a reasonable passer. Since Randle and Ant don't play that way, it looked awkward. I think we have to fix Randle+Ant first. Otherwise, whoever we bring in will essentially be replacement for Any/Randle and not replacing Gobert. I believe it is also why we say the ball moves better when Ant/Randle sits.

[minimus]

While I agree with your post, Wolves could use Gobert in that way. There were a few games they force feed Gobert first and he was a reasonable passer.

It has been a wishful thinking from me all these three seasons with Gobert, but after watching Zubac I understood gigantic gap between Gobert and playoff level five-out bigman in terms of catching the ball, passing and shooting.

[Klomp]

While I agree with your post, Wolves could use Gobert in that way. There were a few games they force feed Gobert first and he was a reasonable passer. Since Randle and Ant don't play that way, it looked awkward. I think we have to fix Randle+Ant first. Otherwise, whoever we bring in will essentially be replacement for Any/Randle and not replacing Gobert. I believe it is also why we say the ball moves better when Ant/Randle sits.

I think it's probably defense dependent. Obviously the way the Lakers are defending him is largely neutralizing him.

[minimus]

Сan MIN improve their offense by adding a big man who can consistently catch passes, finish around the rim (short jumpers, push shots, floaters, hooks), and pass the ball?

A perfect example: Reid helps Edwards to beat double team, by making himself available in the middle, then makes extra pass to McDaniels

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[minimus]

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I believe that these stat shows well how MIN is playing using two identities.

[minimus]

This is a pretty solid video from Conley — explaining how shots are generated in modern NBA offense. Britt Robson mentioned it recently on the Dane Moore Podcast:

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Yes, it’s relevant in the short term, but it matters even more for the long-term offensive vision of this team. Here’s how I personally understand it:

Layer 1: Pick-and-Roll & Drive-and-Kick

This is the base layer of most NBA offenses. For Finch and TC, this usually starts with two primary decision-makers: Edwards and Randle. Both are capable of collapsing the defense by getting downhill and kicking the ball out — they “touch the paint” and create open looks for others.

What makes this layer elite is a combination of:
- A superstar-level slasher (SGA, Giannis, etc.)
- Multiple elite shooters
- A five-out scheme

You don’t need all three — having two is usually enough.
See:
- OKC — SGA + multiple shooters with occasional five-out spacing
- Boston — multiple shooters/ballhandlers + consistent five-out structure

Layer 2: Off-Ball Movement, Screening & Flow

This is where teams like GSW thrive — they don’t rely on a traditional PG or rim-runner. Instead, the offense flows through off-ball screens, relocations, and constant movement. Almost every action has a secondary layer — a counter, a misdirection, or a second advantage creator.

The combination of both layers is what creates an elite playoff offense.

Where MIN stands now

Our current offense, built around Randle and Edwards, is approaching the ceiling of layer one — but often gets exposed in playoff settings.
- Against LAL and GSW, even when Edwards made the right reads and kick-out passes, MIN’s offense still stalled.
- McDaniels, DDV, NAW, Conley — all missed open threes. Yes, the looks were “technically open,” but the contests were always disciplined and timely.
- DDV, NAW, and Conley are also slightly undersized, making their shots easier to contest.

Both GSW and LAL used roamer defenders in the paint, sagging off Gobert in the dunker spot. MIN’s ballhandlers weren’t able to deliver the pass like Luka or Trae do when doubled, and Gobert isn’t a clean catcher or finisher in tight spaces.

So the result is: MIN’s offense gets slowed down not because of bad process, but because it’s overly basic. It lacks that second layer of complexity that makes it resilient in the playoffs.

So what’s next? What can front-office and coaching staff do this offseason?

The key is improving without tearing down the functional core of the first layer (Randle + Edwards as dual ballhandlers/scorers).

1. Internal development
I’ve said it before — McDaniels might be the most offensively talented player outside of Edwards, Randle, and Reid.
- He and Reid both need to develop as decision-makers and passers.
- They’re too skilled to remain one-dimensional scorers, but the number of missed reads and simple passing turnovers is frustrating.
- Adding passing feel and poise under pressure would open up more flow actions and delay-based sets.

2. Surround Edwards with consistent shooters
This is heading in the right direction: DDV was a great start. Hopefully Dillingham, Clark, and TJ can hit open threes at a decent clip.

3. Add / develop off-ball movers
I love how:
- Clark always finds at least one rim attempt via backdoor cuts and one open 3 via relocation.
- TJ gets open by sprinting in transition and attacks closeouts hard and decisively.

We need more players like that — guys who don’t need the ball but still create offensive value.

[minimus]

Here’s a perfect example of offensive layering in action:

Layer 1: Randle drives to the basket
Layer 2: DDV lifts to the top of the key to occupy the defense, Naz sets an off-ball screen for NAW, who gets a wide-open corner 3.

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This is exactly the kind of stuff MIN needs more of — layered offense, where off-ball movement and screening naturally create advantages, rather than relying purely on isolation or brute force.

Also, here’s something else MIN should be doing more often:
Edwards is too strong and physical not to be used as a screener. He’s already an elite 3PT shooter now, so defenders can’t ignore him off the ball. Just setting one hard screen can pull defenders out of help or open up a shooter — it’s simple but effective.

This is actually one of the most underrated things Steph Curry does. Even though he’s undersized, he consistently ranks among the best screen-setting guards in the NBA — because he’s willing and understands how to manipulate defensive rotations.

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