The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to progress from championship contenders to favorites. Chris Finch is ready to make a finals appearance and win a championship. However, he faces his greatest challenge in the Western Conference.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to repeat as champions, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could win back-to-back MVPs. The Wolves have become the Denver Nuggets’ kryptonite, but Denver can become a top-3 team in the West again, and Nikola Jokic will be a legitimate MVP candidate.
The Houston Rockets finished as the second seed last year but lost in seven games to the Golden State Warriors during the Western Conference quarter-finals. In the offseason, the Rockets acquired Kevin Durant, who complements their youth well. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Golden State, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, and Phoenix Suns also looked like they’ve improved.
Finch is up for the challenge. He’s open to extending his bench, but will play up to 9 players in his rotation. The Wolves didn’t make any trades or sign any big free agents. Instead, they’ve prioritized continuity. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo are ready to make a true impact after settling in with the team after a year.
The Wolves signed Johnny Juzang, who previously played for the Utah Jazz, who joins Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, and Joe Ingles as former Jazz players in Minnesota. Juzang is looking for a new home after being viewed as a depth player with a low ceiling. Can he crack Finch’s rotation?
Here are the projected 9 players in Finch’s rotation:
Starting 5
- (PG): Mike Conley
- (SG): Anthony Edwards
- (SF): Jaden McDaniels
- (PF): Julius Randle
- (C): Rudy Gobert
Bench
- (SF/PF/SG/C): Naz Reid
- (SG): Donte DiVincenzo
- (PG): Rob Dillingham
- (SF/SG): Terrence Shannon Jr. (TJ)
The Wolves have their starting 7 that Finch feels comfortable playing. However, that’s when the rest of the bench gets interesting. I see Rob playing the 8th spot because Conley needs a break. Finch needs to put his trust in Rob that he can grow into a difference maker. TJ is the spark plug that is desperately needed in the lineup, especially when Edwards is off the floor.
This is where the 10th spot gets interesting. Finch is open to playing 10, but will rotate players based on the matchup.
Here are the candidates:
(SG/SF): Jaylen Clark
Clark is the next man up. If he played PG, then he would be in the top-8. Clark would need to prove to be a better producer than TJ to be considered the better option. Clark plays elite defense. However, consistent offense will earn him more playing time.
(PG): Bones Hyland
Hyland is looking to make Minnesota his new home after signing a one-year extension. Bones hardly played last season, but he may beat out Dillingham for the backup PG role. Hyland is more experienced than Rob, and Finch may trust him more.
(SG): Johnny Juzang
The man of the hour. Juzang isn’t a PG like Rob and Bones, but he’s making a good case for taking the 10th spot. He brings a mix of everything. Juzang could relieve pressure from Edwards by spacing the floor, and the Wolves have been looking for more 3-point shooters.
(C): Joan Beringer
Beringer won’t get an extended look due to his small stature and because he’s raw. However, I can see Finch using Beringer when Rudy and Naz are resting in a blowout. Beringer could still make an impact playing up to 10 minutes.
How will Finch utilize Juzang?
Let’s say that Juzang wins the 10th spot over Clark, Bones, and Beringer. What type of situations will they use him in? Will Juzang be used in garbage minutes? Will he be put in to take the game out of reach? And will they use him in clutch situations and close games?
Unit 1:
- Rob
- Juzang
- McDaniels
- Randle
- Rudy
Johnny Juzang will need to shoot to create offensive opportunities for Edwards. Juzang finished with a 37.6% in 3-point shooting, which ranked fifth on the Jazz. However, when you narrow it down to 60+ games played, he’s second on the team behind Collin Sexton.
Can he be a top-5 shooter on the Wolves? That remains to be seen. Rob will be his PG, and he should be able to find him for open shots.
That may be the best way to maximize Juzang. The Wolves have McDaniels helping this duo with his two-way prowess. Randle will be able to muscle his way for difficult looks in the post. Rudy’s rim protection completes this group, including dunks and rebounds.
Unit 2:
- Rob
- Juzang
- TJ
- Randle
- Naz
Here’s another possible unit. May not be used as much due to the team needing to rest Randle and Rudy. They would also be shorter with Naz playing center. I envision them deploying this unit when the team has a comfortable lead. The Wolves will be able to run-and-gun with TJ playing with Rob.
Johnny Juzang is on the outside of the rotation, and he may not play every night unless Finch extends his bench. However, I don’t see Finch playing up to 11. By the time the playoffs come around, Juzang will be prepared to play a depth role depending on the situation. Wolves fans should still be excited that they will rotate the 10th spot, given how Juzang has played in the preseason.