One of the biggest criticisms that some Minnesota Timberwolves observers have had about Chris Finch is that he struggles to be flexible. Between his fairly vanilla offense and rigid rotations, there's a lot of truth to this criticism.
Thankfully, it sounds like Finch is ready to become more adaptable. During media day, Finch talked about the importance of adaptability and adding some extra wrinkles to the Wolves' schemes.
"There's things we can lean into that haven't fit our previous rosters," Finch said. "A lot more 4-around-1, small-ball, small-small pick-and-roll. We should be faster, physically faster, more aggressive on the defensive end as a result."
"You have to have an identity, but you have to be more flexible," Finch said.
Chris Finch being more adaptable can help the Timberwolves level up
Starting with his point about the roster, I think this is crucial. While some of the criticisms about Finch are valid, the roster undoubtedly played a role in his lack of creativity on offense over the past several seasons.
LaMelo Ball can unlock a ton of this creativity, especially in pick-and-roll schemes. Notably, last season, the Wolves ranked 25th in pick-and-roll ball-handler frequency. That's a clear effect of not having a point guard. Ball is a pick-and-roll maestro who can unlock this dimension of the Wolves' offense.
The Wolves' improved athleticism and Ball's playmaking will also allow them to play faster, something they leaned into a bit last season. Beyond running in transition and offense, the team making quicker decisions and moving the ball more will make them harder to play against and unlock some natural chances to sprinkle in some creativity. Anthony Edwards will benefit a ton from this, as he will be able to score off the ball more.
Simply put, the addition of Ball, an elite point guard and playmaker, will unlock a more creative side of Finch.
The flexibility aspect will also be huge. Whether it's your offensive sets, rotations, or defensive schemes, you have to keep opposing teams on their toes. Furthermore, being able to play with different styles helps you match up with every team in the league.
Look at the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder; all of these teams have an identity, but they're unpredictable and can beat you in different ways.
In the past, the Wolves have lacked this element, and this change can help them reach another level. Their offense was predictable. It was a heavy isolation shot diet and a lot of "your turn, my turn", which made it easier for teams to game-plan against. It was the worst of both worlds: the Wolves had no clear offensive identity outside of isolation scoring and were highly predictable. With Ball in the mix, this problem can be put to rest.
The Wolves can also beat teams in multiple ways. They can with Ant and LaMelo. They can attack the rim with Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Ayo Dosunmu, and Jonathan Kuminga. Plus, with McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, they can still defend at an elite level, which has largely been their identity over the past few seasons.
Being able to win games in a variety of ways can help the Wolves match up with any team, and it's directly tied to the idea of flexibility.
Based on the idea of flexibility, I'd also like to see Finch switch his rotation a bit more. Playing the same eight or nine guys every night gives opposing teams a clear expectation. But if you use some players situationally, that's a different story. Likewise, different styles of players are better suited for specific matchups or different nights.
Some games they could use a scoring punch from Bones Hyland. Other nights they could use Jaylen Clark's pesky defense. Other matchups might pave the way for Trey Lyles' size and spacing.
With flexibility being a theme for Finch, I wouldn't be surprised if he shakes up the rotation more often. Overall, leaning into a more flexible mindset could help the Timberwolves reach another level.
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