But after you grab that late night cup of coffee and you turn on FanDuel Sports Network North to watch the Wolves for the first time this season, you’ll notice a big difference in the starting lineup.

Minnesota Timberwolves name Donte DiVincenzo starter

And that is because, according to NBA insider Chris B. Haynes, head coach Chris Finch has made a change at starting point guard. Former veteran starter Mike Conley is heading to the bench. In his place will be… Donte DiVincenzo.

Sources: Minnesota Timberwolves will award Donte DiVincenzo the starting point guard spot to open the 2025-26 NBA season. Mike Conley will remain a vital piece. More on The Association on @NBATV at 5pm PT. pic.twitter.com/f2e6WL3fVV

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 22, 2025

Related: Timberwolves Star Questionable for Season Opener

There is a lot we can take away from this news, and most of it isn’t that positive. First, there was talk that Mike Conley was feeling stronger and healthier, entering this season, than he has in years previous.

That led some to believe that he could return to more of the guy we saw two years ago, who averaged 11.4 points and 5.9 assists in 2023-24, and less like the Mike Conley who averaged 8.2 points and 4.5 assists per night last year. Clearly, that is not what the Minnesota Timberwolves saw during training camp.

Of course, Father Time is undefeated and Conley is 38 years old. If the Wolves were relying on the 18-year veteran for big minutes in 2025-26, that would have been a gross miscalculation.

Rob Dillingham not developing like MN Timberwolves hoped?

Much more worrisome than Mike’s decline is the slow-moving development of former No. 8 overall pick, Rob Dillingham. If Conley is not capable of a starter role any longer, the second-year point guard out of Kentucky was supposed to be the natural heir to that position.

Rob Dillingham is as shifty and as quickly as almost any player in the league, but it’s good seeing him learning how to change gears and play with more pace & patience in year-2 pic.twitter.com/GP2XEiGufc

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) October 17, 2025

Unfortunately, Rob did not impress Chris Finch and the Timberwolves enough to earn that spot, which is probably why we’ll see the 28-year-old DiVincenzo in the starting five Wednesday night against the Blazers.

• Donte DiVincenzo 2024-25 Stats: 62 Gms | 11.7 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 3.6 APG | 39.7% 3PT

For a more positive spin, Donte historically plays better when he starts, so this change should help get his best. No Mike Conley or Rob Dillingham also means we will see Anthony Edwards (if he plays) on the ball more often, to start games, until one of those natural point guards take the floor with him.

An Ant + DiVincenzo backcourt could also cause some matchup problems in the future, depending on the night. Still, there’s no doubt the Minnesota Timberwolves would trade any of those positives in for better play out of Dilly, who is still extremely young, at just 21.

It’s a selection they have been reportedly auctioning off to the highest bidder since last night and one they seemingly to have no plans of making. So let’s look beyond the draft, momentarily. What’s next for president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and the rest of the Timberwolves offseason?

Well, first on the offseason to-do list is a couple of their most important big men, Naz Reid and Julius Randle, who both have player options pending. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

If/when the Wolves extend Naz Reid, they will be right up against the 2nd apron of the luxury tax, which they cannot afford to be in for the second-straight season. That’s one reason why Minnesota is trying to deal Donte DiVincenzo and his $12 million salary this season.

Wolves trying to trade Donte DiVincenzo with interest in Collin Sexton…

In fact, on Thursday’s SKOR North scoops session (via the Flagrant Howls podcast), Darren “Doogie” Wolfson (KSTP) floated DiVincenzo repeatedly, as a player who could be moved at any point. What kind of return are the Wolves looking for while shopping their 28-year-old 3-and-D guard?

According to Wolfson, the Minnesota Timberwolves seem to have a growing interest in 26-year-old former No. 8 overall draft pick, Collin Sexton, a combo scoring guard who the Utah Jazz are reportedly shopping, after three seasons together.

“As we sit here on the morning of Thursday, June 26th, to me, [the Timberwolves] are running this thing back, for the most part, with a move on the margins. So, that could include DiVincenzo. To me, Nickeil Alexander-Walker still ends up elsewhere; a sign and trade makes a good amount of sense.

One way or another, Naz Reid is back. Julius Randle back. Now, that doesn’t mean at some point down the road, especially Randle, that he couldn’t be traded. But I’m just saying, I think for the most part, they are going to run this thing back.

But still, definite interest in finding a ball handler. You brought up the name Collin Sexton earlier, I’m told that there is interest in Collin Sexton. Now, the money is an expiring contract, but it’s what-$18ish million for next year? So, I don’t know exactly what the mechanics of a trade would look like.”

Darren Wolfson – Flagrant Howls (SKOR North)

From what Doogie is led to believe, the Timberwolves plan to mostly run it back next season. That includes an opt-in from Julius Randle and the aforementioned extension for Naz Reid. As has been the case for awhile now, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is probably on his way out.

Minnesota Timberwolves want to make “move on margins”

But it seems Tim Connelly is still looking to make what Wolfson describes as at least one “move on the margins”. If something like that gets done, whether it happens tonight, or later this summer; and whether it’s for Sexton or someone else… it’s probably time to say your goodbyes to Donte DiVincenzo.

In 2024-25, Collin Sexton — who is due $19 million dollars next season, on the final year of his deal — averaged 18.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists, across 63 games played and 61 starts.

Collin Sexton 25 PTS on 87 TS% vs the New York Knicks pic.twitter.com/PYtxAKfinf

— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) June 18, 2025

All of those numbers were near identical to his career averages (18.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.7 APG). The former Alabama standout actually increased his shooting percentages slightly, making 48% of his shots from the field and 40.6% from three-point range.

And since the moment that their latest playoff run came to an abrupt halt, the Wolves have made their plan A offseason blueprint pretty clear. Connelly and his front office have their target set on trading for former MVP and 10x All-NBA selection Kevin Durant.

Minnesota has been interested in Durant going back months, and reportedly got very close to completing a deal right before the NBA Trade Deadline. The moment their season ended, they were back on the KD trail.

And since the Timberwolves + Kevin Durant steam heated back up this week, there are a lot of people in the basketball world who think the Wolves will be the team to bring the KD trade drama in Phoenix to an end.

Bobby Marks lays out Kevin Durant trade blueprint for Minnesota Timberwolves

One of those experts is former NBA GM – turned ESPN insider and cap guru, Bobby Marks, who concocted a beautiful trade scenario for Durant that aired on SportsCenter Friday morning.

The best part: It doesn’t include Jaden McDaniels — who has reportedly been off the table during these discussions — or rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon Jr. Instead, Marks has the Minnesota Timberwolves giving up only Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo and Mike Conley, three of their worst playoff performers in 2025.

If the Timberwolves swap out their worst three playoff players for Kevin Durant, we're hanging a Tim Connelly banner at Target Center @BobbyMarks42 pic.twitter.com/iIeQfLkXI0

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) June 13, 2025

“I look at it as when you have ‘win now’ players and players like Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, and certainly Donte DiVincenzo. Then you have that draft pick that we talked about, the 17th pick in the draft. That’s the only pick they’re allowed to trade. That accomplishes a lot of what Phoenix is looking to do. Remember their owner said, Mat Ishbia, that they don’t want to rebuild. So you get three quality players. You get a first round pick for Kevin Durant. The two names not mentioned is Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Both players have a player option. They are not allowed to be traded as part of this deal.”

Bobby Marks – ESPN

The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t need to trade for Kevin Durant because he’s Anthony Edwards’ favorite player. Though that doesn’t hurt, they should trade for him because his addition could be the key piece that puts them over the top.

If Connelly is able to land Durant for the three players Marks mentions, it’d be a huge win. We all know what Gobert offers defensively, but his impact is forever limited in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Conley is 37 years old and his play fell off a cliff this season.

While DiVincenzo brought a toughness and leadership quality to the Wolves that showed late in the regular season, he completely tanked when they needed him the most, in the playoffs.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves *Almost* All In on Kevin Durant…

Including the 17th overall pick may be a tough pill for the MN Timberwolves to swallow, but for a return like Durant, it’s one they should stomach — especially when they get to keep both of last year’s first rounders. Let’s be honest, there is nothing certain about the NBA Draft, when picking in the teens.

Is Kevin Durant worth chasing?

We don’t know that the Wolves will rise to the top of Kevin Durant suitors, when this dust finally settles. But one thing is for sure. The KD smoke isn’t clearing out of Target Center any time soon. Not unless a deal gets done.

Kevin Durant isn’t a spring chicken anymore. But at 36 years old, he is still playing at an incredibly high level, averaging 26.6 points per game on 52.7% shooting in 62 games last season. His 43% from deep was his best in a season since 2020-21.

1 minute of Kevin Durant being clutch this season so far. pic.twitter.com/ZCcKPHabgM

— depressed goatman (@nocontextKD35) November 7, 2024

Durant has dealt with a few injuries in recent years. In fact, he’s played 55 games or less in three of the past five seasons. That said, he remained relatively healthy the last couple years, playing 75 games in 2023-24 and 62 games in 2024-25.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Among Teams to Deny New York Knicks

Entering the final year of a four-year contract, KD has played for four different teams during his 17-year NBA career, including the Thunder (9), Nets (3), Warriors (3) and Suns (3). Hopefully, the Minnesota Timberwolves are his fifth.

No matter what they did, LeBron James, Luka Doncic and JJ Redick had no answer for Anthony Edwards and his 2025 Timberwolves. That included working the refs… but that didn’t stop the Lakers from begging for calls all series long.

Early and often, both LA stars were sprawled out on the floor OR limping around holding a body part like it’s on the verge of falling off OR (my personal favorite) standing in shock with arms up in the air as if they just witnessed a murder.

LeBron James wasn’t faking injury vs Minnesota Timberwolves?

That brings us to late in game five, when LeBron James — who was on defense — floated towards the the top of the key where suddenly collided Donte DiVincenzo, who was on his way across the court to set a zone screen for Julius Randle, spotting up from three.

As he usually does, James went down in a heap, where he laid on the ground for minutes, as though his soul had just been snatched from his body. For most of us, it was just LeBron being LeBron. But apparently, he did sprain his MCL on the play.

During Game 5 of the Timberwolves/Lakers series, LeBron James reportedly suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee from this collision with Donte DiVincenzo pic.twitter.com/rSe8NPREG1

— Wolves Lead (@TWolvesLead) May 2, 2025

“James, who has played in an NBA-record 292 playoff games without missing one because of injury, assuredly would have had that streak snapped if L.A. were playing Game 6 in Minneapolis on Friday night.”

Dave McMenamin – ESPN

Per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, LeBron James’ MRI revealed a Grade 2 MCL sprain, stemming from his collision with DiVincenzo. That sort of injury generally requires 3-5 weeks to fully heal. With the Lakers eliminated from the playoffs, LeBron will have all the time he needs to get that knee back to full strength.

Related: MN Timberwolves President Pushes Back Against Rumors

James finished the final 7:23 of game five, but according to McMenamin, his record 292-straight playoff games streak would have been snapped, had the Los Angeles Lakers forced a game 6 vs the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It’s unfortunate that James suffered an injury on the play. However, he has so often made it a question as to whether or not he is actually hurt, that even his teammates continued to play on around him after the MCL sprain we discussing.

LeBron was peeking to make sure they were bringing out the stretcher pic.twitter.com/fEK3TNfJ0m

— Jack Leverentz (@Bossman_10K) April 24, 2025

LeBron shouldn’t be surprised that nobody thought he was actually hurt on the play (including his own teammates). Hell, the NBA created rules against flopping because players like James and others have exploited the tendencies of referees to call fouls for veteran superstars.

Timberwolves had Luka Doncic begging for sympathy too

While James actually suffered an injury, there was none to be reported for Luka Doncic. He went to the locker room briefly in game five, and announcers suggested a back injury akin to someone needing a wheelchair. Like LeBron, it’s difficult to evaluate while you’re always embellishing something.

Former Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverly didn’t hold back on calling out Doncic. The talented scorer still finished with a team-high 28 points on 7-of-18 shooting. He probably was hurting a bit, but his ego may have been the greatest problem against the Timberwolves.

Pat Bev says Luka was FAKING his back injury

(via @PatBevPod) pic.twitter.com/hHUUMJGKH6

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) May 2, 2025

Luka has made a career of whining to referees. Minnesota fans saw it last year against the Dallas Mavericks, and they had to weather the storm this time around against Los Angeles.

It’s not as simple as suggesting that Doncic should lay off the fast food and get in shape. Then again, a player that talented has no reason to be as much of a conditioning liability as he is. The postgame show, led by Charles Barkley, took him to task in that regard.

Related: What We Learned About the MN Timberwolves in Series Clinching Win Over Lakers

Maybe the Lakers will be back, but they’ll need to rework the roster and continue to find the fountain of youth for LeBron. Here’s to hoping he heals well and Doncic grows up.

"LeBron don't play defense anymore. Luka can't guard a chair." – Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/TRtDTV7WoZ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 1, 2025

With the Detroit Pistons in town, the Minnesota Timberwolves squared off against former teammate Malik Beasley. They ended up outlasting their opponent on the court, but did so without Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid for most of the game.

Donte DiVicenzo and Naz Reid suspended for Minnesota Timberwolves

In a scene reminiscent of the Malice at the Palace, Minnesota and Detroit got into a brawl that spilled into the crowd. DiVincenzo and Reid were Minnesota’s involved players, and both were sent to the showers early. They each have now been suspended an additional game as well. With the Wolves fighting for a playoff seed, they’re lucky to only get 2 total games together.

NBA discipline for Pistons-Timberwolves scuffle, sources tell ESPN:

– Isaiah Stewart: 2 game suspension
– Donte DiVincenzo: 1 game suspension
– Ron Holland: 1 game suspension
– Naz Reid: 1 game suspension
– Marcus Sasser: 1 game suspension

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2025

It all started when Malik Beasley came firing right out of the gates. He was feeling himself after some early buckets, and DiVincenzo took exception to the yapping. Veteran Isaiah Stewart didn’t like the response from DiVincenzo and then stood over him after a foul. The play that lead to the brawl was when Reid got fouled by Pistons rookie Ron Holland II.

A fight breaks out between the Pistons and Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, Pistons HC J. B. Bickerstaff and Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected pic.twitter.com/TJA3OczOxB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025

At that point the scrap was on. DiVincenzo laid the ground work, and he backed it up in a big way. Despite being undersized in comparison to Holland II, he had the 2024 5th overall pick off balance and the fracas only grew. Reid and DiVincenzo were joined in the locker room by assistant coach Pablo Prigioni, who was also tossed.

MN Timberwolves shorthanded against Nuggets

Minnesota is on the road Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. Denver head coach Mike Malone made waves on Monday night by suggesting that the Timberwolves view the Nuggets as their sort of marquee matchup. Whether there’s validity to that or not, Chris Finch will need someone to step up.

Michael Malone says one of his assistant coaches, who scouts Minnesota, has watched the Timberwolves' last 5-7 games and told him…

"They never play as hard as they do against us."

"You can sense it. You can notice it." pic.twitter.com/YWYAXYckks

— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) March 31, 2025

DiVincenzo and Reid are both key members of the rotation. The former is averaging 11.6 points per game in 56 contests this season. The latter’s 14.4 points per game are a career-high, and he’s in line for a nice big payday. Minnesota is 3-0 against the Nuggets this season, and the latest win came in Denver.

Minnesota has seven games left, including five-straight on the road. They are 43-32, which is good for 7th in the Western Conference. If the playoffs started today, they would host the Los Angeles Clippers for the first round of the play-in tournament. They are just three games back of the Lakers for 4th place, and only one game back of the Grizzlies for 5th place.

But this MN Timberwolves team, when at its best this season, doesn’t get pushed around by anyone. Much of that can be attributed to the additions of Julius Randle and, even more so, Donte DiVincenzo. So when Beasley got hot and started talking about it to former teammates and Target Center fans, the DiVincenzo made it his mission to stem the Malik Beasley momentum.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Detroit Pistons gets heated…

He hit some shots in the 1st quarter, then showed his physicality in the 2nd quarter, battling for rebounds and trying to fight back mentally against the fire Detroit brought to Minneapolis Sunday night. As he tends to do, DiVincenzo also started getting into the heads of Pistons players, starting with five-year veteran Isaiah Stewart.

Full sequence between Isaiah Stewart vs Donte DiVincenzo

Donte screaming Fuck no when Stew shot the ball. pic.twitter.com/iymNgL0c9g

— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) March 30, 2025

That foul was called on DiVincenzo, but gives a great snapshot into what was brewing between Stewart, the Pistons vs Donte and the Minnesota Timberwolves. That becomes important for what happened a little while later.

That’s when Naz Reid was fouled by Pistons rookie Ron Holland II, on his way to the basket. One aggressive finger wag later, and Holland became upset. Once the 2024 No. 5 overall draft pick got hostile, guess who stepped in between him and and Naz Reid?

Malice at Target Center

Of course, it was DiVincenzo, who gave up about a foot in height and 1.5 feet in reach to the younger, more athletic Holland. It didn’t matter though. When push literally came to shove, it was Holland going to the ground with the forearm of DiVincenzo at his neck.

From there, Pistons and Timberwolves coaches and teammates all jumped into the action, which spilled into the first five rows of the cameramen and fans behind the hoop. Eventually, Holland emerged from the pile with what appeared to be a bloody lip. Divincenzo had a 3-inch vertical cut/scratch on the right side of his adams apple.

A fight breaks out between the Pistons and Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser, Pistons HC J. B. Bickerstaff and Wolves assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected pic.twitter.com/TJA3OczOxB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025

Stephen A Smith wouldn’t last a second with these men. pic.twitter.com/SUHUZ59msy

— Leighton Glodek (@LGlodek) March 31, 2025

When all was said and done, five players — Reid, Divincenzo, Stewart Holland and Marcus Sasser were all tossed. So were MN Timberwolves assistant Pablo Prigioni and Detroit head coach, JB Bickerstaff. In most situations, NBA fights are nonsense and they usually hurt your team.

Related: Timberwolves Planning to Keep Julius Randle and Naz Reid…?

But if there were ever a case where the Minnesota Timberwolves needed a hockey-style melee to turn the tide of a basketball game, it was tonight. Donte Divincenzo sensed it, and he wasn’t afraid to go there. A couple fans and a cameraman got a few signed jerseys out of the deal, and there may be some suspensions on the way too.

Co-owner A-Rod of the ⁦@Timberwolves⁩ doing some good damage control after the melee that ended up stands. pic.twitter.com/Uv8aBOSBb5

— Patrick Mooney (@PatrickMoondog) March 31, 2025

But Donte brought the energy that his team desperately needed tonight. And they responded both before and after his ejection. Will it be enough to will the MN Timberwolves to victory vs a very hungry Pistons team? We’ll find out in the second half.

Here are some of the best tweets reacting to tonight’s events.

Nah look at what Isaiah Stewart did to Donte DiVincenzo 😭💀

CRYING 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4uTbQvnW1J

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) March 31, 2025

pic.twitter.com/SsNJDwZzlV

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 31, 2025

“DETROIT! F*ck outta here.”

— Isaiah Stewart was still repping Detroit after getting ejected 🍿

pic.twitter.com/375nieNYYM

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 31, 2025

All this happened because of Isaiah Stewart. Kick his bum ass our the league

— Barflaan Tedoe 🇱🇷 (@The_Barftender) March 31, 2025

On Sunday night, in the first of back-to-back games vs the Oklahoma City Thunder, they were without Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert and Donte DiVincenzo. Then, redshirt rookie guard Jaylen Clark went up for a layup can came down in a way that launched the back of his head into the wood floor at Target Center.

Jaylen Clark avoids disaster for Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s a replay that gives you a headache just to watch. Thankfully, though, the Minnesota Timberwolves injury report listed him as questionable, and not with a concussion, but a sore neck instead. A tweet shortly after from Darren “Doogie” Wolfson (KSTP) revealed that concussion tests came back negative.

Why the hell didn't the officials stop the game after the bucket??? pic.twitter.com/ruNwpL5d2t

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) February 24, 2025

Minnesota @Timberwolves Status Report in advance of today’s game at Oklahoma City:

QUESTIONABLE
Clark – Neck Soreness

OUT
DiVincenzo – Left Great Toe Sprain
Gobert – Low Back Spasms
Randle – Right Groin Strain

— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) February 24, 2025

Related: Anthony Edwards Flirting with Suspension

It took awhile for Clark to get real run with Minnesota this season, but he has now played in 16 games with two starts. He is averaging just 5.1 points per game, but has been a bright spot of late. His 14 points against Oklahoma City helped the Timberwolves stay in contention.

MN Timberwolves rotation could get help soon

Although Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and Rudy Gobert all remain out for the immediate future, their return is expected soon. There is some concern surrounding Gobert’s back injury, but for the other two, it’s more about conditioning, at this point in their rehab.

Nice to hear concussion testing came back negative w/ Clark. Looked incredibly scary. On Rudy, told he felt pretty good on his tropical All-Star getaway, but went hard at practice thereafter & thus this setback. Randle/ Donte seemingly now mostly about conditioning. #Twolves https://t.co/zek0y1XNms

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) February 24, 2025

Gobert has missed all three games since the All-Star Break. With his fourth inactive game coming on Monday, he will have been out for all three recent meetings between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Randle, who is in his first season with the Wolves, has been out since January 30th. He is averaging 18.9 points per game, which is the lowest mark of his career dating back to 2017-18 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Not the greatest fit for Minnesota, Randle is a trade candidate if he can get his groin healthy.

The most productive part of Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the Knicks has been Donte DiVincenzo. His toe injury has kept him off the court since January 15th, and it has been that absence where players like Clark and Rob Dillingham have filled in.

Related: Report: Kevin Garnett to Join Timberwolves Immediately Upon Ownership Change

Through 40 games DiVincenzo is averaging 11 points per game. He has made eight starts but has yet to find his three-point stroke. After shooting 40.1% for New York last season, he has converted on just 36.9% of his attempts this year.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are entering the stretch run with 24 games remaining. If Chris Finch can get a healthy rotation back, then the Wolves can improve of their current playoff positioning and hope to avoid the Play-In Tournament.

On Saturday, it was announced that Julius Randle (right groin strain), Donte DiVincenzo (left great toe sprain) and Rudy Gobert (back spasms) will all miss tomorrow’s contest vs OKC, leaving superstar Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley to face the Thunder with a bunch of young pups at their side.

But how long will that be the case? The Minnesota Timberwolves have not had its full compliment of talent since January 15 against the Denver Nuggets. When will Randle, DiVincenzo and Gobert get back into the lineup? It sounds like Randle will be the first to return, of the three.

Minnesota Timberwolves latest injury update is mixed bag of good and bad news

According to Jon Krawczynski (The Athletic), while Julius Randle may not be back this weekend, he has resumed playing 5v5 in practice with his teammates and his return is imminent. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about DiVincenzo, who just recently began non-contact activities.

Related: Timberwolves’ Pursuit of Kevin Durant Far From Over

The most eye-catching update from Jon’s piece, though, is a note about Gobert’s back injury, which did not heal up during the All-Star break, something the longtime Minnesota Timberwolves insider regards as “concerning”.

Randle has started playing five-on-five, meaning his return from an injury that has kept him out for nine games is imminent. DiVincenzo has been cleared for non-contact work, making his return a little bit further off. That Gobert’s back injury was not resolved over the All-Star break is concerning, especially with a home-and-home back-to-back against Oklahoma City coming on Sunday and Monday.

Jon Krawczynski – The Athletic

The MN Timberwolves are 10-7 in the 17 games played since they had all three of the above players in the lineup on January 15. Rudy Gobert has now missed the Wolves’ last two games, including their final matchup before the All-Star break vs the same team they play Sunday, the OKC Thunder.

Related: When to Expect Vote on Timberwolves Ownership Change; Will Glen Taylor Appeal?

Rudy Gobert is averaging 11 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, in 55 games this season. Those numbers are all down from his career averages of 12.6/11.7/2.1 per game. Nonetheless, he is still crucial to what the MN Timberwolves do on both sides of the floor, but especially on defense. The fact that Jon K is concerned makes me concerned too.

Minnesota Timberwolves better with Donte Divincenzo in the starting lineup…?

That brings us to the starting rotation, which head coach Chris Finch recently started tweaking. One of those changes was replacing point guard Mike Conley with Donte DiVincenzo in the starting lineup for six games between January 6 vs LAC and January 15 vs GSW.

The results of that move were pretty good, too. The Wolves went 4-2 during that stretch, outscoring opponents 112.7 to 106.8. During that stretch, they held New Orleans to 97 points and Orlando to 89. Offensively, the Wolves really started rolling in DiVincenzo’s final three games as a starter (vs GSW, WAS, MEM), where they scored an average of 120 points per game.

One day there will be a study done on Donte DiVincenzo's confidence leap in games he starts. He's shooting almost 44% from 3 in his last 13 games.pic.twitter.com/qVlJi4Ab32

— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) January 12, 2025

After a slow start to his career in Minnesota, Donte was really starting to find his place, of late. Unfortunately, Donte DiVincenzo’s come up won’t bring long-term stability to Minnesota Timberwolves lineup that desperately needs it.

Wolves rule Donte DiVincenzo out indefinitely

After being inactive for the last two games, news broke on Monday that tests on DiVincenzo’s injury are not coming back with optimistic results. According to Shams (ESPN), the nearly 27-year-old, former No. 17 overall draft pick (2018) is in a walking boot and the Wolves have ruled him “out indefinitely” with a left big toe injury.

Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo is out indefinitely due to left big toe injury and will receive additional opinion, sources tell ESPN. DiVincenzo’s foot has been placed in a boot. He was averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 assists, 42% shooting on 3s as a starter in last 6 games. pic.twitter.com/Cb7QPa5MME

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 20, 2025

Related: Julius Randle Disgruntled After Timberwolves Cut His Minutes

Not sure if he aggravated it earlier in the game, but here is where Donte DiVincenzo sprained his left toe last night. Rarley do you see him slump over in pain like this. pic.twitter.com/VhIcTthjzs

— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) January 17, 2025

The Minnesota Timberwolves swapped out Mike Conley for Donte DiVincenzo, because the newly extended 37-year-old veteran point guard has been showing his age, during the first half of this season. Since Donte left the lineup with injury, Conley has returned to the starting-five.

Related: Teams Inquiring on Vital Timberwolves Role Player Prior to NBA Trade Deadline

DiVincenzo is not expected to be back anytime soon, obviously. But he does have a newish contract to soothe his pain. Donte still has two full seasons on his deal (at over $12M per year), so he will have plenty of time to fully recover and contribute in a Timberwolves uniform, even if it’s not this season. Let’s pray that is not the case, though.

Donte DiVincenzo L10 GP 3P Shooting

35/84 41.7% Overall
23/60 38.3% Catch-and-Shoot
11/23 47.8% Pull-Ups
6/13 46.2% Corner
29/71 40/8% Above-the-Break

DDV has found his shooting stroke. pic.twitter.com/YUhPozj1Ud

— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) January 16, 2025

However, now there’s a sense that the 2024-25 Timberwolves need to take another step forward. If not, the decision to trade Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle + Donte DiVincenzo will draw immense scrutiny, even if it may have been partially related to cleaning up the Wolves’ future cap sheet.

Now, with a new Timberwolves season upon us, it’s time to make some bold predictions for the year ahead. Can the Timberwolves take that crucial step forward? Is Anthony Edwards ready to become the face of the NBA?

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Jaden McDaniels averages new career-high in scoring

Jaden McDaniels is both one of the most beloved members on the team and one of the most scrutinized. It wasn’t always this way; he used to simply be a fan favorite for his quiet yet aggressive demeanor, especially on defense. In just four seasons, McDaniels has developed into one of the best defenders in basketball, with the ability to guard anyone from a point guard to a power forward on any given night. It’s why he earned All-Defensive honors last season.

However, McDaniels is rarely ever under the microscope due to his defense. It’s his offense that fans want to see more of. At times, we see a silky smooth jump shot that shows shades of Kevin Durant, whereas other times he hits a cold streak so bad that we can’t help but wonder if another player wouldn’t offer more of a scoring jolt.

• Jaden McDaniels stats (2023): 10.5 PPG, 33.7% 3PT, 3.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Yet, if there’s one thing that you cannot knock about the 24-year-old Seatbelt, it’s that he’s a tireless worker. Now that he’s had another full summer to work on his game, we wouldn’t be shocked to see McDaniels return as a much more consistent scorer, and he could be asked to take more shots now that Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t soaking up 15.3 shots per game. In other words, don’t be surprised if McDaniels blows past his previous career-high scoring average of 12.1 PPG, set in 2022-23.

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Donte DiVincenzo wins NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year

The Timberwolves already have the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year in fan favorite Naz Reid. He’s likely to see an even bigger workload with the departure of Karl-Anthony Towns, and is likely the team’s power forward of the future. But now he has another scoring stalwart coming off the bench alongside him in Donte DiVincenzo.

As great as Reid is at scoring from anywhere on the floor, DiVincenzo is a much more natural shooter with the ability to heat up like a microwave. He’s constantly working to get himself open, and having a massive shield like Rudy Gobert to set picks for him could set up a ton of open shots.

Although the Wolves plan to give Mike Conley more rest, which could lead to DiVincenzo becoming the replacement starting point guard on certain occasions, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him come close to the same 15.5 PPG scoring average from last season.

Reid averaged 13.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 1.7 stocks per game (blocks + steals) to win his award. “The Big Ragu” may not come close to those rebounding or defensive stats, but if he can shoot 40% from distance again while providing more assists as a playmaker, he just might win his first Sixth Man of the Year award.

Related: When Anthony Edwards Switches to Football He’s Playing Defense

Anthony Edwards wins second NBA MVP in Timberwolves history

Right now, “The Big Ticket” is the greatest Timberwolves player in franchise history. But as crazy as it sounds, Anthony Edwards may not be that far off, even though he’s just entering his fifth season. KG didn’t win his MVP award until his ninth season, but the Timberwolves were never among the league’s elite class until, suddenly, they were.

Meanwhile, this current era of Timberwolves is already among the top championship contenders in the NBA. Some are already saying Ant is the face, or future face of the NBA, but now it’s time to prove it. We all know how confident he is, never backing down from a challenge. Yet, now that he’s gotten a taste of coming so close to the playoffs, we only expect him to come back an even better competitor.

Now that KAT isn’t around as the secondary alpha wolf of this pack, there’s absolutely no question who has the keys to the franchise. Fans knew that all along, but for Ant, it had to be a bit odd grabbing the reigns from a more experienced former No. 1 pick who’s still an All-NBA talent. But now there’s nothing holding him back. If he wants to shoot 30 times a game, he will.

Don’t be surprised if Edwards takes yet another step in his development, grabbing more rebounds and dishing more assists, all while scoring more points thanks to a more consistent shot. It’s only a matter of time before the NBA realizes the league’s best player calls Minnesota home. It might even happen later this year when Edwards wins his first of possibly many MVP awards.

Related: If the Timberwolves Win it All, Anthony Edwards Says He’s Switching Sports… Seriously

Timberwolves set new franchise record in wins

On the surface, this may seem crazy. The Timberwolves’ all-time single season wins record was set in the magical 2003-04 season that saw the team win 58 games and reach the Western Conference Finals. Flip Saunders, Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell, and Latrell Sprewell led an All-Star cast that looked well on their way to delivering the first championship in franchise history.

Of course, injuries got in the way, and the Timberwolves regressed back to the mean later on. Meanwhile, last year’s Timberwolves often looked like they’d have a chance to beat their all-time wins mark before injuries got in the way too.

Yet, there has to be a specific reason why the Timberwolves felt trading KAT for Randle + DiVincenzo would help them take a step forward. If the trade works out the way Tim Connelly planned, it might lead to a more balanced roster overall and one that helps the team win just more than 58 games, setting a new Timberwolves record.

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Minnesota Timberwolves win NBA Finals, 4-1

You didn’t think we’d be able to project the Timberwolves to take a step back, did you? Who did this team lose? Towns? Yes, he’s a fantastic scorer, but we can’t all look ourselves squarely in the mirror and not admit there were some flaws in his game too, such as his propensity to force shots, commit offensive fouls, and often disappear on defense because he’s still complaining about a missed call on the other end of the floor.

Presumably, this team will be a lot more mature as they go through another season together. While there are wily veterans such as Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, and even Tim Connelly’s lookalike in Joe Ingles, the core of this team is still scratching the surface of their potential.

Ant, McDaniels, and Reid are all 25 years old or younger, which means they’ve yet to reach their prime. Only now, there’s been another injection of youth, and some of these young pups can really play. Josh Minott, Luka Garza, and even Rob Dillingham all look like they’re ready to contribute to a winning season. Coach Finch remains one of the best coaches in the NBA. If there’s anyone who can push all the right buttons to maximize the potential of his rotation, it’s Finchy.

The Celtics are great, but they don’t have the same hunger in their stomachs as this starving pack of Wolves. This time, when the Minnesota Timberwolves get on the big stage again, Anthony Edwards and company won’t flinch; they’ll devour every opponent in their path.

• Minnesota Timberwolves defeat Boston Celtics in NBA Finals: 4-1

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