Has Rob Dillingham off to a perfect start for the Minnesota Timberwolves? Absolutely not. The second-year guard is averaging just 11 minutes, 4.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on 38.6/25/72.7 shooting splits. Obviously, this isn't ideal for the 2024 lottery pick, and his inability to score is a real concern.
Has Chris Finch given Dillingham a fair chance, though? I'd argue no. Dillingham is still raw; there's no way around it, but giving him just half a minute more per game than his rookie year isn't the best way for him to develop. Yes, he has struggled, but Dillingham needs to learn from his mistakes and grow.
This comes with the important context that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left in free agency, and Mike Conley is declining even more than last season. On top of this, Anthony Edwards missed four games with a hamstring injury, and Terrence Shannon Jr. has now missed nine games with a foot injury.
Will there be some growing pains? Certainly, but Dillingham deserves a slightly longer leash.
Chris Finch needs to give Rob Dillingham a longer leash
Seemingly, after any mistake, Dillingham doesn't see the court again; maybe that's an exaggeration. But he gets pulled pretty quickly, and it's clearly hurting his confidence. The uber-confident, shifty three-level scorer we saw coming out of Kentucky isn't the same guy as the timid player we are seeing now. Even during his rookie season, Dillingham looked more confident.
It's pretty easy to connect the dots and say that Dillingham's inconsistent role is hurting his confidence. Maybe I'm playing armchair psychologist here. However, anyone who has played basketball knows that an inconsistent role and a coach who doesn't believe in you can damage your confidence.
I'm not saying Finch needs to all of a sudden give Dillingham 25 or 30 minutes a game. After all, the Wolves do have title aspirations, which is what makes this situation so tricky. Still, something within the 15-20 minute range seems fair. Dillingham has only played 20 or more minutes once this season, and that came against the Brooklyn Nets.
Dillingham is far from perfect, but he needs a more consistent role
Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns is the game where Finch's handling of Dillingham bothered me the most. Dillingham scored five points on 2-for-3 shooting and seemed to be playing with the confidence he had been lacking all year. After playing nine minutes in the first half, Dillingham didn't see the court in the second half. Maybe it was the two turnovers that caused Finch to bench him, but frankly, who cares? Let the kid grow.
Look at how Reed Sheppard of the Houston Rockets has grown throughout this young season with a consistent role.
Another example is how Dillingham had a season high 11 points against the Sacramento Kings, then played just four minutes against the Utah Jazz of all teams the following night. In fairness to Finch, I think he's still a fantastic coach, and he has given Dillingham some real high-leverage minutes. Most notably, Dillingham started the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
In games where he doesn't have his shot going, I totally get him seeing less minutes, and frankly, I'm surprised he played late in the Wizards game. However, after an encouraging game like against the Kings, why not play him significant minutes? Likewise, it's baffling that he didn't get any minutes after a strong first half against the Suns.
Dillingham certainly has his weaknesses. His suddenly shaky shot is a real concern, and he isn't the stabilizing playmaking force that Conley is. Despite his size, Dillingham has played fairly well on defense, though. Per Cleaning the Glass, Dillingham actually ranks in the 80th percentile for points allowed per 100 possessions, and Conley ranks in the 21st percentile.
While Dillingham hasn't been perfect, at his best, he offers a dynamic element that the Wolves lack with Conley. Ignoring his development in favor of playing a 38-year-old Conley, who is clearly at the end of the road, isn't the right decision, in my eyes.
If Finch starts giving him a longer leash, I bet Dillingham's scoring production and decision-making would improve. There's no denying it's a tough situation, though.