While Donte DiVincenzo's torn Achilles injury will keep him sidelined to start the season, there's been a lot of positive buzz about DiVincenzo returning to the court at some point in the 2026-27 season. Recently, during an appearance on Chad Hartman's WCCO radio show, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch described DiVincenzo's return as "pretty likely."
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum returned to the court on March 6 after tearing his Achilles in May 2025. Since DiVincenzo's injury was a few weeks earlier, he could return around the All-Star break.
Whenever DiVincenzo returns, he'll add some much-needed 3-point shooting and bench scoring, which can make the Wolves an even more challenging matchup.
Donte DiVincenzo's return would make the Timberwolves an even more deadly 3-point shooting team
Even without DiVincenzo, the Wolves' 3-point shooting (primarily led by the Anthony Edwards-LaMelo Ball backcourt) in part makes them one of the league's most dangerous offenses. And throwing in DiVincenzo could make the Wolves a true 3-point juggernaut.
Last season, Ant and LaMelo both ranked within the top six for 3-pointers made per game, while DiVincenzo ranked 17th. That's an ungodly amount of 3-point shooting, and it's enough to give any team in the league fits.
While it's unclear what DiVincenzo will look like upon returning, shooting typically isn't a skill that wavers. Tatum didn't immeidealty look his normal self but he was still an impactful All-Star-level player. If DiVincenzo can even be 80 percent of his old self, that's a damn good player. Furthermore, Ball's elite playmaking can give him plenty of open shots.
Looking around the Western Conference, several notable competitors would have trouble dealing with this level of shooting for different reasons. The Houston Rockets, who ranked bottom five in 3s made and attempted, simply can't match this type of firepower. Then there are teams like the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers with defensive concerns.
The big question is how this 3-point-centric-style will play out against the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. I believe that to negate the rim protection advantages of Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, elite shooting is a must. Plus, both teams ranked in the middle of the pack for 3-point shooting last season
While Minnesota could give these squads problems without DiVincenzo, just imagine what they could do with The Big Ragu back. To be clear, both teams are still more well-rounded than the Wolves, but neither team should be eager to see Minnesota in the playoffs, and an upset could be in the cards, in part due to the shooting, especially with DiVincenzo back in the mix.
DiVincenzo will help the Wolves' bench
Bench scoring is the other major factor here. Currently, we know that Ayo Dosunmu is a high-end super-sub. Outside of him, though, the Wolves have a lot of unproven players. Joan Beringer and Terrence Shannon Jr. are two talented yet unproven young players.
Whether these players improve and DiVincenzo suddenly restores the Wolves' past identity of eight starters, or he stabilizes the bench by giving them another dependable scorer, his return will be a massive boost.
If everything goes right, though, the Timberwolves will have nine high-end rotation players once DiVincenzo returns. That will require growth from Beringer and Shannon, but it's not impossible. Alternatively, Jaylen Clark or Bones Hyland could have bigger impacts than expected.
In the event that the Wolves have nine high-end rotation players, that will make them a handful for opposing defenses. Having to account for so many scoring threats is difficult for a defense to handle, and it could lead Minnesota to the promised land.
Of course, the question remains: Will DiVincenzo be healthy enough to make a strong impact? There's no denying it's a question, but thankfully, his game translates well post-injury, since his elite shooting is a skill that won't go away.
Overall, with a return at some point this season being likely, Timberwolves fans should be excited to see #0 on the court and bullish about the matchup advantages that DiVincenzo will provide.
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