It's finally here. At long last, the NBA's 78th season tips off on October 22 with two interesting contests. First, the New York Knicks take on the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics. Next, the Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Los Angeles to battle the universally lauded Lakers.
Both games share a commonality. The 50-win rosters in New York and Minnesota were radically altered in the offseason and will premier for the first time on the 22nd. The shakeup occurred when the squads agreed to exchange Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for Karl-Anthony Towns.
After nine seasons in Minneapolis, Towns begins the latter half of his career as a Knick. Conversely, Randle and DiVincenzo will suit up for their fourth and fifth teams, respectively. The trade yielded positive outcomes for both teams. However, questions persist following such a massive transaction.
3. Does Minnesota close with Reid's shooting or Randle's playmaking?
Speculation ran rampant immediately after Towns' departure. Is Randle and Minnesota a long-term fit? Was Towns traded solely because of his contract? Does this trade usher in the Naz Reid era? Instead of answering all three questions, we'll focus on the last, as it pertains to the Timberwolves' lineup ahead of the regular season opener.
Minnesota's most commonly used lineup last year included Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Towns, and Rudy Gobert. The second-most common swapped Reid for KAT. As Chris Finch indicated earlier in the preseason, Randle is here to start. Therefore, the starting lineup should look similar to a season ago. But, does Randle play alongside Edwards and company in the final minutes of close games?
There's reason to believe the former Knick starts and finishes games. He's a three-time All-Star who holds career averages of 19.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Additionally, Randle is a unique archetype—a jumbo-sized point forward. The 29-year-old is a playmaker, which bodes well for end-of-game situations. Despite the positives, Julius is a career 33.3 percent three-point shooter who's shot above 40 percent just once in his career, which is a tricky fit next to Gobert.
Reid, on the other hand, is a career 37.1 percent marksman who drilled 41.4 percent of his 5.0 attempts from beyond the arc a season ago. Naz is certainly a cleaner fit next to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The debate stands whether Randle's playmaking or Reid's shooting is more important. Or, the distant question remains if Gobert should be included when the game's on the line.
2. Where does Luka Garza fit in the rotation?
Continuing with the frontcourt, Gobert, Randle, and Reid are guaranteed minutes. Moreover, another enticing option exists on the roster. Luka Garza, who just averaged 16.0 points in the preseason, re-signed with Minnesota on a two-year pact in the offseason.
Although Garza signed a minimum contract, he's a rotation player in the making. Garza is and has been a per-minute superstar. The Iowa product averaged 29.2 points per 36 minutes a season ago. Whenever he's been given the opportunity, he's excelled. The only thing holding Garza back is the Wolves' loaded frontcourt.
The argument for Luka is easy. His scoring ability translates to any level. He's big (6-foot-10, 245 pounds), fundamentally sound, and possesses a sweet shooting stroke. There's no downplaying Garza's vast offensive repertoire, but is it enough to earn a spot in the rotation?
The short answer is yes. Garza is in prime position to earn minutes behind Gobert or Randle. Even if it's 10-15 minutes per game, the 25-year-old is a high-impact player who's shown he'll make the most of his time. Nevertheless, it'll be difficult to unearth a lineup combination including Garza. In today's NBA, he operates best as a pivot. Still, a frontcourt composed of Reid and Garza will be suspect at best.
1. Does Dillingham have a spot in the rotation? Is he the backup PG?
Typically, a top-10 draft pick is all but guaranteed a spot in the rotation. It'll be atypical in Minnesota. The Timberwolves are coming off a 56-win campaign and a Western Conference Finals appearance. Following an impressive season, the Wolves refused to stand pat. Tim Connelly traded into the top 10 of the NBA Draft to select Kentucky standout Rob Dillingham.
Dillingham joined the Timberwolves as the projected reserve point guard and heir to the 37-year-old starter Conley. Just a few months later, the acquisition of DiVincenzo made it harder to envision the rookie as the primary backup floor general. Even though the former Knick is better suited as a shooting guard, he's comfortable manning the point and appears to be a seamless fit alongside fellow reserve Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
With Donte and Nickeil penciled in to make up the reserve backcourt, where does Dillingham fit in? Does Alexander-Walker slide up to the three so DiVincenzo can suit up as a shooting guard? If that's the case, one of Garza, Joe Ingles, or preseason star Josh Minott will be excluded from the 10-man rotation.
Dillingham's spot in the rotation is far from guaranteed, and it may take time for the youngster to carve out a consistent role. For one, he'll be the lightest player in the league. Thus, a learning curve is in store for Dillingham. Furthermore, rookie point guards have notoriously struggled to acclimate to the NBA. Rob may begin the season as a rotation player, but it's equally possible the coaching staff eases the former Wildcat into the lineup.