During the past few seasons, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has said that he feels like the team has eight starters. Having eight starting-caliber players was a massive advantage for the Wolves, and it helped guide them to two straight conference finals runs.
However, after Nickeil Alexander-Walker's departure and Mike Conley taking another step back, this former strength is now a weakness for the Wolves.
Frankly, bench depth is a trait that all true contenders share in the modern NBA. Gone are the days when teams can overwhelm their opponents with star power -- now every great team needs depth. Unfortunately, this is something the Wolves lack, and it's costing them significantly.
The Wolves' lack of bench production is a problem
Last season, the Wolves started Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert, with Alexander-Walker, Naz Reid, and Donte DiVincenzo being "super subs." When one (or more) of the Wolves' starters was struggling, they could count on one of these super subs to fill the void.
This season, it's a completely different story. DiVincenzo replaced Conley in the starting lineup, and the 38-year-old Conley is now averaging a career-low 5.0 points off the bench. The Wolves had hoped that the young trio of Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham, and Jaylen Clark could fill in the void left behind by Alexander-Walker. However, they have underwhelmed immensely.
Shannon is currently injured, but when he's been on the court, his production has been poor. The second-year wing is averaging just 4.5 points while shooting 40 percent below and being a mess defensively. Notably, the Wolves are 16.5 points per 100 possessions worse defensively with Shannon on the court per Cleaning the Glass.
Dillingham is averaging 3.9 points with an effective field goal percentage of 39.7 and has fallen out of the rotation. Additionally, the Wolves are 14.5 per 100 possessions worse offensively with Dillingham on the court. Clark has been the most effective of the young bunch. While Clark's defensive impact is immense, his offensive game remains limited.
Bones Hyland has been a massive emergence for the Timberwolves as of late. He is averaging 9.5 points and 3.2 assists since returning to the rotation over the past 11 games. However, Hyland isn't consistent enough to be considered a true super sub yet.
This leaves Reid as the Wolves' lone consistent bench threat. Undoubtedly, Reid is one of the league's best bench players, and his impact has remained stellar. Notably, he is averaging 14 points, which accounts for a staggering 43.7 percent of Minnesota's bench points.
Reid is a great player, but being this dependent on one bench player is a clear concern -- and it's a stark difference from the well-rounded bench production the Wolves are used to. While many Wolves fans might be focused on making a star-level trade ahead of February's deadline, depth must be a priority in any move they make.