Donte DiVincenzo's recent hot stretch makes his ideal role crystal clear

Donte DiVincenzo is off to a stellar start this season. Through seven games, he is averaging 15.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4 assists on 44/42.9/80 shooting splits. On Monday night, DiVincenzo had the best performance of his young season, racking up 25 points (six 3-pointers), nine rebounds, and five assists en route to a 16-point Minnesota Timberwolves win. I must add that DiVincenzo did all of this with a broken nose. The Wolves undoubtedly benefited from his toughness and energy.

Since Anthony Edwards went down with a hamstring injury, DiVincenzo has really stepped up. In the four full games without him, Donte is averaging 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while connecting on 44.7 percent of his 3-pointers. DiVincenzo took on some primary ball-handler duties early in the season when he earned a spot in the starting lineup, but has slid into a pure off-ball role with Mike Conley returning to the starting group. The pairing of DiVincenzo and Conley has a +4.6 net rating.

DiVincenzo's stellar recent stretch should serve as further evidence that he is best utilized in an off-ball role. Notably, 87.9 percent of DiVincenzo's made field goals are assisted. This shouldn't be seen as a slight; an elite off-ball threat is extremely valuable in the modern NBA. DiVincenzo's shooting opens up the game for his teammates and makes him a seamless fit in any lineup.

The Wolves must continue to use DiVincenzo off the ball

Does this mean the Wolves should go back to starting Conley when Edwards returns? Not at all, and frankly, I'd be surprised if they do. Nevertheless, to put DiVincenzo in a position to get the most out of him, they must utilize him off the ball. In the likely case that he remains in the starting lineup, Edwards and Randle must be deployed as the team's primary initiators.

Having DiVincenzo come off screens and cut is advantageous to his skill set. That's not to say he should never have playmaking duties. Regardless, DiVincenzo's strengths as a playmaker come from playing within the flow of the offense, rather than organizing it for everyone else. In other words, he is a great connective playmaker but not fit to be a lead playmaker.

Even when Edwards returns, and Conley likely returns to the bench in favor of DiVincenzo, the Wolves need to utilize him off the ball. On opening night, against the Portland Trail Blazers, we saw him struggle when given significant ball-handling duties, committing six turnovers. Utilizing him in an off-guard role is best for everyone. While conventional wisdom may suggest that DiVincenzo is the point guard in the Wolves' preferred starting five, Edwards or Randle should and likely will operate as the true PG.

DiVincenzo has spent 93 percent of his time playing shooting guard and 85.8 percent of his time off the ball this year. He has been fantastic in this role, moving around the court, nailing 3-pointers, and making the right reads as a playmaker. The evidence is clear: DiVincenzo is an elite off-ball guard. Ultimately, Chris Finch and the Wolves can't lose sight of what makes DiVincenzo so impactful.