DiVincenzo's struggles mirror one former Timberwolves role player

As the Minnesota Timberwolves struggle to get back in the win column, it is becoming increasingly clear just how serious the issues this team is dealing with are. The Western Conference is a gauntlet, and it does not treat teams that repeatedly deal with the same issues kindly.

So naturally, it is no surprise to see the Timberwolves currently sitting near the bottom of the West with an 8-9 record overall. Their defense has been madly inconsistent, and offensively it has been a challenge to find their groove as well. Overall, Minnesota looks like a shell of the team they were last season.

We knew from the outset that getting Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo acclimated to the rest of the roster was going to take some time, but this extended period of struggle has been more than a little concerning. DiVincenzo in particular has been performing far below the level we know he is capable of.

Through 17 games this season, Donte is shooting just 35% from the floor, and only 32% from beyond the three-point arc. He has been playing comparable minutes to last season, but it is clear that adapting to the change of playing in Chris Finch's offensive system has taken a toll on the usually sharpshooting guard. His poor shooting percentages and overall disappointing performance is reminiscent of one former Timberwolves player: Taurean Prince.

DiVincenzo's slump mirrors Taurean Prince

When Prince was new to Minnesota at the start of the 2021-22 season, he also did not live up to the bill of what fans knew he could do. In December of 2021, Taurean shot a lowly 30.9% from three, leading to many fans writing him off as a disappointment. But in the new year until the end of the season, Prince ended up shooting over 40% from beyond the arc, making him a much bigger-impact player.

It still feels like DiVincenzo can make the same kind of adjustment. The Timberwolves reportedly wanted Donte "for more than a year" before acquiring him in the trade with the Knicks, and they obviously have a significant amount of belief in his abilities.

Giving up on him now would seem foolish, especially given the type of player we know him to be. Additionally, the fact that Taurean Prince struggled in a much similar way to how DiVincenzo is now should give Wolves fans some optimism about him moving forward.