It's not a secret that the Minnesota Timberwolves need a point guard. Mike Conley is 38 and has declined as a shot creator and athlete. Many people were hoping that second-year guard Rob Dillingham would be able to take on a bigger role, so the team could lean on Conley less. Unfortunately, Dillingham's preseason showed that he still needs more time to develop.
Dillingham posted respectable averages of 11.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 rebounds on 45.3/47.1/62.5 shooting splits. However, if you remove a game against the Guangzhou Loong Lions, Dillingham's averages fall to 8.8/6/1.6 on 38/30.7/50 shooting splits. Not great, Bob. Smaller guards tend to take a long time to develop, and Dillingham seems to be no exception.
This leaves the Wolves in a difficult predicament. Do they play Dillingham real minutes, despite it likely costing them wins, or do they prioritize winning and hinder his development?
Rob Dillingham has tons of upside, but he seems far away from putting it together
Undoubtedly, Dillingham has the ideal skill set that the Wolves lack in their backcourt. The Kentucky product is a speedy guard capable of generating rim pressure and creating for his teammates. If there's a silver lining from Dillingham's preseason, his playmaking looked pretty strong.
Still, Dillingham struggled to score efficiently both at the rim and beyond the arc. At times, it looked like Dillingham was second-guessing himself, and he often missed good shots. It's unlikely that Dillingham can provide efficient scoring this season, especially if defenders can key in on his slight frame. Regardless of how good his playmaking is, if Dillingham continues to struggle as a scorer, his impact will be far less effective, especially considering his size makes him a target on defense.
Remember, Dillingham was mainly drafted as a lottery pick for his elite scoring and shot creation. Even though Dillingham's playmaking was impressive, it's worth wondering if he can truly run an NBA offense. Maybe once the regular season gets rolling, Dillingham can re-find his shot.
Through the first 25 games last season, Dillingham shot a stellar 44 percent from 3-point range. However, in the final 23 games, he shot an abysmal 12.5 percent beyond the arc. As he acclimates to the NBA, Dillingham is bound to have some inconsistent stretches. However, that could lead Chris Finch to pull him from the rotation or only give him occasional minutes. That's understandable given the Wolves' championship aspirations.
Currently, Terrence Shannon Jr. seems locked into the eighth spot of Minnesota's rotation. That leaves Dillingham and Jaylen Clark competing for spot minutes as the ninth man. As a microwave scorer, it's harder for Dillingham to find a rhythm in an inconsistent role. But the alternative for Finch and the Wolves is to risk slipping in a competitive Western Conference.
With Dillingham seemingly only likely to receive occasional minutes, the Wolves will have to lean on Conley more. Furthermore, Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo will all take on playmaking duties. The Wolves desperately need another lead ball handler, and they trusted Dillingham to fill this void.
The 20-year-old still has plenty of upside and could be Minnesota's point guard of the future. I've defended the Wolves' offseason approach and made my long-term belief in Dillingham clear. Nevertheless, it looks like Dillingham isn't ready to take on a key role this season.