It sure sounds like Chris Finch is ready to give Mike Conley a rotational role again

Mike Conley's first game back with the Minnesota Timberwolves was pretty uneventful. In 15 minutes, the 19-year veteran notched 0 points, four assists, a block, and a rebound in a 135-108 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, that didn't stop Chris Finch from heaping the praise on Conley after the game. 

"Mike was great. He competed on the ball, stood his guy up, gives you everything he's got. Probably should have played him a little bit more," Finch said. 

The last part of this quote stands out to me, and it hints that he could see more regular minutes moving forward -- something most Wolves fans don't want to see. Listen, it would be foolish to say that Conley's 15 minutes cost Minnesota the game or that these minutes were even one of the main reasons for a near 30-point loss. The truth is that Conley (despite a limited box score impact) was better than Bones Hyland on Sunday, and overall, he played fine. 

Nevertheless, the possibility that Finch tries to force-feed Conley more minutes down the road is something that should concern Wolves fans. 

It's easy to see Finch giving Conley a role in the rotation

Upon his return to Minnesota, Conley openly discussed that he's willing to adapt to any role and that he's not anticipating sizable minutes. At 38, this is undoubtedly the best role for Conley. 

On the season, Conley is averaging 18.4 minutes, a number that has far exceeded his on-court impact. Conley is averaging 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 31.8/31.6/89.1 shooting splits. His lack of self-creation, poor shooting, and defense make it difficult for him to play big minutes. Notably, the Wolves are 6.2 points per 100 possessions worse with Conley on the court.  

Conley playing just 15 minutes during a game where the Wolves were missing two rotational players and getting a DNP in his first game back makes it unlikely that Finch will go back to playing him 20-plus minutes.

Regardless, Finch's comments make it seem likely that we will see some level of minutes from Conley down the road. Additionally, Bones is extremely erratic, and if he goes on a cold stretch, that could open the door for Conley to return to the rotation.

In fairness, to Finch, Conley provides an element of stable playmaking and ball-handling that Hyland doesn't. This skill set has made Finch trust Conley even at this stage of his career. While Conley's stability is a plus, his lack of self-creation limits the Wolves' ceiling.  

For the Timberwolves to be at their best, they'll need some extra juice off the bench. We know that Naz Reid and Ayo Dosunmu can provide this consistent bench production, but it's fair to have concerns about Hyland. 

If Bones continues to be inconsistent, there's no doubt in my mind that Finch will start to give Conley a real rotational role again.