Minnesota Sports Forum

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 6:46 pm

Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 3:58 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 10:17 am

I think the bigger picture takeaway with TJ is the valuable experience he's getting in the WCF as a rookie and the fact that he can be part of the solution in dealing with OKC going forward, meaning beyond this series.

I’ve been calling for more TSJ minutes all season. He was impressive in that regular season stretch when he got some meaningful minutes due to injuries. He was even more impressive last night. You can’t impress or develop if you don’t play. More than any young player on our roster, TSJ is ready and needs to play. I agree that the immediate take-away from TSJ’s play last night is that he can help us going forward in this series. But my bigger take-away pertains to next season and how we approach the off season this summer.

The mindset of this organization once the Wolves’ season ends should include a projected rotation next season without NAW that includes TSJ and at least one of our other young guys - Clark, Dilly or Miller. Unfortunately, I think it’s time to move on from Minott. I don’t share Abe’s long-held view that Dilly is a bust (slight exaggeration) but I’m not sure he’ll be ready for a major rotation role next season. Nevertheless, I’d like to see him become part of our rotation consuming most of Mike Conley’s minutes. I’m fairly certain NAW will be gone. It will be interesting to see what the Wolves do this off season with Randle, Naz and Donte. Any or all of those three could be gone but all three could end up staying. I don’t think TC will move Rudy, but you never know.

If there is one valid criticism of Finch, it's the rigidness he has shown with his rotation. I think the benefit is that he has amassed a huge amount of political capital and trust from the top 8 of the rotation, so that, for example, when he sits a guy like Julius or Rudy at the end of games, he can expect they will come back the next game and give a professional effort without making waves in the locker room. And guys like NAW aren't always looking over their shoulder worried he'll get the hook in the midst of a poor shooting streak.

The tradeoff is that a guy like Shannon was clearly a "ready now" draft prospect given his age, skillset, and physical profile, yet he's been given minutes like a baby is fed solids for the first time - just a lil' teaspoon of Gerber at a time! It's just odd doing that when the baby is actually your grown-ass adult kid!