The excitement for the Minnesota Timberwolves next year has spiked thanks to an eventful offseason. What began with salary dumping Julius Randle turned into the acquisition of LaMelo Ball and ended when Jonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year deal on Wednesday evening.
While the Wolves have to make a move to accommodate Kuminga, the bulk of the offseason is done and the roster is likely the one fans will see when Minnesota opens training camp next month.
But while fans are excited about who is on the court, there will be one notable name off of it. Donte DiVincenzo is expected to miss the first half of last season after tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 4 of Minnesota’s first-round playoff series with the Denver Nuggets. However, the possibility of a late-season return is hanging in the air.
If DiVincenzo comes back, it gives the Timberwolves another credible offensive weapon and could make the guard Minnesota’s ace in the hole as they aim for a championship next season.
Timberwolves may have a forgotten weapon in Donte DiVincenzo
Acquired in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, DiVincenzo has become a valuable piece to the Timberwolves’ backcourt in the past two seasons.
Mostly a bench player during the 2024-25 season, DiVincenzo scored 11.7 points while averaging 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 42.2 percent overall and 39.7 percent on 3-pointers in 62 games, but he parlayed that into the starting point guard role and started all 82 regular-season games for the Wolves last season.
He was a highly effective role player, averaging 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists. His hustle on the defensive side of the court is also an added benefit.
This is why the Wolves shot down any trade rumors surrounding DiVincenzo as he enters the final year of his contract and could make an impact if he’s able to return next season.
While a lot has changed, DiVincenzo could be a solid fit that makes the Wolves even deeper as they make a run toward the postseason.
Donte DiVincenzo’s return could make the Timberwolves even deeper for a playoff run
DiVincenzo’s 3-point shooting would be a way to space the floor, and since he operates without the ball in his hands, he could be a spot-up shooter who could do damage on the receiving end of a pass from Ball. He also can use his intelligence and instincts as another way to get the ball to any of the Wolves’ offensive weapons, from Anthony Edwards to Jaden McDaniels, and could create passing lanes for Rudy Gobert or Kuminga to get to the rim.
This would also be a great development for the Timberwolves’ bench. Minnesota needed to trade for Ayo Dosunmu at last year’s trade deadline, as the Wolves leaned too heavily on Naz Reid before. Now the Wolves should have a plethora of contributors, including Ayo, Bones Hyland, Jaylen Clark, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Joan Beringer.
Going up against deeper teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, having a deep bench will be critical. If DiVincenzo is able to return and contribute, that could make the Wolves even deeper, which could protect them from the injuries they suffered when they got to last year’s playoffs.
It makes DiVincenzo’s recovery worth monitoring as next season begins, and it could be a key addition for a team that could be on its way to making a playoff push with all the changes they’ve made this season.
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