Rob Dillingham's role is one of the more intriguing players in the Minnesota Timberwolves' upcoming season. The second-year guard is seemingly poised for a bigger role as Mike Conley continues to age and Nickeil Alexander-Walker's departure.
Still, Dillingham getting big minutes is far from a guarantee. The Wolves have title aspirations, and there are some concerns with giving a slight 6-foot-1 guard a key role. Plus, they have a loaded rotation.
In a recent interview with Britt Robson of MinnPost, head coach Chris Finch outlined exactly what he is looking for from Dillingham this season.
"Well, he is going to have to embrace being off the ball, Finch said Certainly when he is out there with Ant, and Julius, for that matter. The formula for Rob to make an impact for us is simple. He just has to create pace and he should be able to do that naturally. And it is something that we desperately need. Then he just has to break the paint; get in the paint whether you are in a pick and roll, or playing off the catch, or beating your guy on a crossover (dribble) and getting downhill. Get in the paint and then make plays for your teammates."
Finch also noted that Dillingham will be used in a spot-up role, and if he does these things while fighting defensively, he'll earn a role. Undoubtedly, Finch's assessment of Dillingham is logical, and it's clear his skill set can help solve some key problems for the Wolves.
Dillingham's skill set is perfect for the Timberwolves' roster needs
A lack of pace and poor transition play have plagued the Wolves in recent years. Say what you will about Dillingham, but this is an issue he can absolutely address. The 20-year-old guard has blazing speed and will certainly help the Wolves push the pace.
Similarly, the Wolves' perimeter players have struggled to generate rim pressure as Conley has aged, which is Dillingham's biggest strength. Notably, Dillingham shot 52.5 percent on drives, which exceeded anyone in the Wolves' rotation; he also shot 62.1 percent at the rim. With elite handles and speed, Dillingham is a fantastic below-the-rim finisher.
As Finch noted, he's capable of generating this rim pressure in a variety of ways. Dillingham is also a high-level playmaker, especially when driving. Overall, this skill set makes Dillingham an ideal fit next to Anthony Edwards.
Dillingham needs to make some adjustments to fill this role
Despite his tantalizing talent, Dillingham still has room for growth. Finch notes the importance of his off-ball abilities and being comfortable playing off the ball. The Wolves could use some extra ball-handling and creation. At the same time, Edwards and Julius Randle command a lot of touches, so as Finch notes, Dillingham will have to buy into playing off the ball.
This will be new for Dillingham, who during his college days at Kentucky and, of course, in high school, was a ball-dominant guard. The Wolves even experimented with Dillingham off the ball in summer league. Undoubtedly, being comfortable spotting up and figuring out how to attack off the ball will be vital for Dillingham.
Notably, as a rookie, Dillingham shot just 30.6 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s, but an impressive 36.8 percent on pull-up 3s. It's a small sample size, however, it's clear the Wolves are counting on Dillingham to adapt to playing off-ball more.
Finch previously implied that Dillingham will be the team's rotating ninth man. Ultimately, Dillingham is one of the key swing factors for the Wolves' season, but it's now clear what the team is asking from him.