Perhaps the most pressing debate among Minnesota Timberwolves fans right now is who will be the team's power forward. In turn, this presents a starting lineup debate.
The Timberwolves' best five, talent-wise, is LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert. In this scenario, either McDaniels, Ayo, or Ant would guard fours. Based on what Chris Finch has said, though, it actually might be more likely that Edwards or Dosunmu would guard opposing fours.
Now, starting one of Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, or Josh Green could give the Wolves an unconventional starting four. To me, though, the bigger appeal would be getting some more dependable bench scoring with Dosunmu.
On most nights, I think Dosunmu would still close. He's one of the team's best five players and should fit nicely with LaMelo. Regardless, if he starts, the Wolves have no dependable bench scorers, unless you're super confident in Shannon.
Ayo Dosunmu would give the Timberwolves' bench a massive boost
An unproductive bench could hurt the Timberwolves, and having Dosunmu in a super sub role would ensure this wouldn't be an issue. Wolves fans should be familiar with the value of a super sub, as that's exactly what Naz Reid was for the team.
Personally, I'd look to start a lower-usage player like Clark or Green instead of Shannon, who is a bit more ball-dominant.
Clark's viability as a starter and rotation player will depend on his growth as a shooter. If he can knock down open 3s, though, he'd have a strong case to start. Green would be another solid option if not. Both players aren't natural power forwards to be clear, but they are rugged defenders who could get the job done.
Look, I don't think Dosunmu would have any problem playing alongside Ant and LaMelo --he's incredibly versatile and can thrive off the ball. However, I would like to see Dosunmu still have some on-ball duties, and utilizing him as a sixth man could strike the ideal balance. Dosunmu showcased his upside as a creator by scoring 43 points against the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the first-round.
Should he come off the bench, Ayo would surely be in the mix for the Sixth Man of the Year award. Of course, this isn't the goal, though; the goal should primarily be to stabilize what currently is a shaky bench unit.
It's also worth noting that Dosunmu proved to be a perfect fit alongside Bones Hyland. The duo was nicknamed Twin Turbos thanks to their blazing speed. Maximizing the minutes these two play together makes sense, especially given the Timberwolves' run-and-gun identity.
In terms of maximizing the starting lineup, including making a smooth usage pie, starting someone like Green or Clark would make sense. Having a low-maintenance player like Green or Clark would allow McDaniels to get ample creation duties while Edwards and LaMelo could do what they do best.
I also see plenty of logic in a matchup-based starting lineup, at least to start the season. On some nights, having three ball-handlers in the starting lineup could be beneficial. Still, on most nights I think having some dependable bench creation will be preferable for the Timberwolves.
Until an official starting lineup is announced, this debate will continue among fans. When it's all said and done, though, don't be surprised if Finch opts to bring Dosunmu off the bench in October.
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