Sometimes, not saying anything at all can be a louder statement than a shout at the top of your lungs. I think that's a sentiment that applies to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Rob Dillingham as we draw closer to the start of next NBA season.
The Timberwolves' moves to re-sign a few of their key guys this summer indicates their belief in this core in the long-term. However, it's their inaction when it comes to upgrading the point guard position that points to an internal belief in Rob Dillingham.
There's no denying the fact that Mike Conley is past his prime at this point. He is still rightfully one of the most beloved players in Minnesota. I've stated before that this fanbase's love for him is unshakable, and at the same time I think the fans recognize that this team simply isn't best with him playing 30 minutes a night anymore.
We had long thought that there was still a possibility that the Timberwolves could go out and make a late-offseason addition to upgrade their ball-handling and take a load off Conley. Now that Malcolm Brogdon has signed with the New York Knicks, it makes that possibility that much less likely, especially when you consider we're less than three weeks away from media days across the league.
The Timberwolves will likely rely on Rob Dillingham more this season
Instead, what seems like the much more likely scenario is Minnesota making use of what they already have and leaning more into Rob Dillingham minutes. The rising second-year player didn't get as much burn in year one as many might have thought, but this coming season could be his chance.
I think what we saw last season was a coaching staff that wanted to lean heavily into its veterans the vast majority of the time. This strategy was implemented for obvious reasons, with a team who had just brought in a new core piece in Julius Randle, and needed to get things to work fast.
Now, it feels like Chris Finch and his staff are going to have possibly a bit more leeway when it comes to their thinking on this. They have their main core re-signed, and it's no longer a contract year for any crucial pieces.
With this new scenario, why not allow Dillingham to go all-out? You know what kind of talent you have in him, so might as well give him a little bit longer leash and see what happens. Things seem to be lining up for the youngster to have himself an excellent opportunity.