As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare for the 2025-26 season, it is evident that the roster is mostly finalized at this point. And it's also becoming clear that Mike Conley is going to be expected to carry a large percentage of the responsibility at point guard once again.
That's a reality that could end up defining the Wolves' season. Minnesota hasn't made any moves to acquire a new ball-handler so far this offseason, and the remaining options are limited at best. I mean, Russell Westbrook is always out there if they want him, but I'm skeptical of them going that route.
This leaves the Wolves in a very interesting position. They're now going to be trusting Conley to do the heavy lifting in terms of running the offense once again. How do Timberwolves fans feel about this? My guess is that much of the fanbase is not thrilled about it.
Mike is obviously a total joy as a human being. The guy is incredibly humble while also being extremely competitive on the court. Wolves fans will always love him in the big picture for being who he is as an incredible teammate and a big reason why Minnesota got to the level they're ultimately at now.
Mike Conley is going to have to lead this offense once again
But the complicating factor is that his overall level of play is clearly taking a step back from where it was in his prime. This became most evident last season, and everyone was hoping his early-season hiccups were just that. But by the time April rolled around, it was pretty hard to deny that Mike didn't have a great year.
Still, Chris Finch values his veterans a lot. He was obviously forced to play Conley less at a certain point, but there were times where he still leaned on him for his ability to organize an offense and be a steadying veteran presence. It's looking like we're going to get much of the same experience next season.
The only person currently on the roster who could potentially change that is Rob Dillingham. Unfortunately, it's uncertain whether the coaching staff is ready to truly hand the reins to the young point guard. With the title window still open, they may only feel comfortable with Conley out there during crucial stretches.
This leaves us in an interesting spot. Most Timberwolves fans would probably run through a brick wall for Mike Conley, but they also don't want to see him have to play 30-plus minutes again this next season because of what we saw last year.
It's a confusing situation, and I'd love to hear more opinions on it from fans in Minnesota. This might very well be Mike's final season in the league, and the Wolves may be forced to play him big minutes all the way up to the eleventh hour.