The Minnesota Timberwolves' summer of changes puts pressure on head coach Chris Finch. They landed LaMelo Ball, the high-end point guard they've long lacked, and signed Jonathan Kuminga to fill their subsequent power forward void.
While he is the most successful coach in franchise history, the Wolves will shed no tears if they have to get rid of him. The reality is that coaches are often the ones who fall on the sword for their team's shortcomings, fair or not. Given that the Timberwolves already made significant roster changes, Finch would be the next logical change for the team to make if things go south.
The good news is that the Wolves' upside is immense, and Finch could help them put everything together. Truly, I believe that Minnesota could win a championship, and Finch could be a big part of this success. Likewise, if the Timberwolves can be a top-two seed, leapfrogging one of the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder, Finch could win Coach of the Year.
Therein lies the wide range of outcomes for Finch this upcoming season. But what are some specific problems that could hurt the Wolves and cost Finch his job? And what does he need to do to help the Wolves reach their ceiling? Let's explore.
Problems that could cost Chris Finch his job
Finch's typical free-flowing offense is perhaps the biggest swing factor in his job security. He has openly discussed taking on a more hands-on offensive role. What exactly does this look like, though?
Finch was previously known as an offensive guru, but his schemes generally lack creativity, and he hasn't shown the ability to implement much structure. With Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, Rudy Gobert, Ayo Dosunmu, and Terrence Shannon Jr., the Wolves have a lot of mouths to feed.
They'll need more offensive structure to make things work. It will be a delicate balance, though, because you still need to let players be themselves. Unfortunately, there's a scenario where things go south, and Finch can't strike this ideal balance. Given how many Wolves players thrive with the ball in their hands, things could get really messy without ample creativity and structure.
Two more things I'm looking at are clutch-time play and player development. The Wolves have long struggled in clutch-time games, never ranking above average in clutch net rating during the Edwards era. If these problems persist, Finch can't fall back on having a flawed roster, and he'll take the fault.
Minnesota's bench outside of Ayo consists of intriguing yet unproven players. Finch has long been criticized for his inability to trust young players. This roster gives him no option but to play Joan Beringer and Shannon heavy minutes. But if they can't get production out of these players, their upside will be lowered, and Finch's ability to develop young players will be under scrutiny.
Losing lead assistant Micah Nori will make everything harder for Finch. At a bare minimum, the Wolves need to win a playoff series, and even that might not be enough for Finch to stick around. The Wolves are all in, and the expectations are high.
How Finch can become a true hero this season
Having said all of that, there are paths for things to go right. As noted, Finch was once known for his offensive schemes before becoming a head coach. Maybe the reason that his offense has seemingly lacked creativity isn't because of him, but due to the rosters he has been given.
To run creative and detailed plays, you typically need a true floor general. While Mike Conley filled that void to some extent, his lack of juice as a shot creator made things tricky. Ball is the most talented point guard Finch has ever coached, which, in turn, could unlock his scheme creativity.
Additionally, if Ball can develop more as a mature, winning basketball player, Finch will rightfully get a ton of credit. Being able to integrate Kuminga into the offense and get him to buy into a scaled-down role could make him look like a genius.
Finch has done a great job at connecting with players, so this is certainly possible. If he can put all of the (talented) puzzle pieces together, the sky's the limit for this squad.
The Wolves are trying to catch up to the Spurs and Thunder, which will be a tall task. It's not impossible, though. Plus, Finch's success in the playoffs proves that he is an elite game-plan coach, which could help them pull off an upset over one of these two teams. The playoffs have also highlighted Finch's ability to maximize the talent he is given.
If he can translate these skills to the regular season and add more scheme creativity, the Wolves could be a top-two or top-three seed. As such, there's a world where Finch moves himself into the top tier of coaches.
Overall, for a Timberwolves team with a wide range of outcomes, nobody highlights this type of volatility more than Finch.
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