Chris Finch may have to make major changes next season

The 2023-24 season was obviously a dream season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. With the second-most wins in franchise history en route to only the second Western Conference Finals since the organization’s founding in 1989, the Timberwolves got a taste of everything they hope to accomplish in this era with this core of players.

To accomplish all of that, Minnesota has relied heavily on its veterans. Hardly any young player who isn’t already an established star saw much action last season, and that method obviously worked. Next season, however, that process may not be as viable.

With Kyle Anderson gone, the Wolves are now missing another of their key rotation players and will need to find a replacement. Yes, Joe Ingles will play regularly and appears to be part of the team’s solution to this problem, but he won’t fill all the gaps on his own.

Sooner or later, Chris Finch and the rest of the Timberwolves coaching staff will likely need to give the younger players on this roster more playing time so they can impact the game with their individual skills. Fortunately, they are already prepared for that.

Aware of the amount of young talent in his dressing room, Finch revealed that he sees opportunities for his young players to play next season. “There are roles that you have to fight for,” he said at the team’s rookies’ introduction press conference. “In our situation, with the opportunities that we have, that’s certainly possible for them.”

That’s a view that will surely excite Timberwolves fans. Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon, Leonard Miller, Josh Minott and others haven’t had a real chance to shine yet given the makeup of this team. And yet there could be some real game-changers in the mix hiding right under our noses.

Dillingham has already expressed his gratitude for how his role on the team has been handled so far, and there could be others who fit the role like a glove. Regardless, there will clearly be a lot to look forward to as Finch and the team finalize their rotations at the start of next season.