The Minnesota Timberwolves have championship aspirations after making back-to-back conference finals. However, if there's one flaw with this roster, it's point guard play. Mike Conley is now officially 38 and has clearly declined as a self-creator. His 8.2 points per game last season is a career low. Rob Dillingham is entering his second season. While he's a talented scorer and playmaker, it's unclear what role he'll be able to handle.
Given Conley's decline as a scorer, many fans are hoping for Donte DiVincenzo to replace Uncle Mike in the starting lineup. For a while, this seemed like a real possibility to me. Nevertheless, after Chris Finch stated he prefers DiVincenzo off the ball and started Conley over Donte in the preseason, it seems less likely.
Starting Conley might not be the most popular decision among Timberwolves fans, but I believe it's the right call.
Conley's presence as a stabilizing force is key
The Wolves' main flaw is playmaking; notably, they ranked in the bottom 10 for turnovers per game last season. With DiVincenzo in the starting lineup, the Wolves would be using a point guard by committee approach. Sure, DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards, and Julius Randle are all capable ball handlers and playmakers. Regardless, none of them are true table setters.
Say what you will about Conley, but he remains a high-level playmaker and trusted decision maker. The Ohio State product posted an impressive 4.25 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, which ranked 18th in the league. Having a stabilizing force like Conley is vital for a Wolves squad that lacks playmaking.
Conversely, DiVincenzo posted a 2.27 assist-to-turnover ratio (138th in the league). DiVincenzo would give the Timberwolves a nice boost in terms of shot creation and shooting, but the team's playmaking is a bigger need. Furthermore, according to Cleaning the Glass, Conley ranked in the 72nd percentile for on-off differential while DiVincenzo ranked in the 48th percentile. Conley might have his limitations, but he's the best option in the Wolves' starting lineup.
With DiVincenzo starting, it's also worth noting that Dillingham would likely be entirely out of the rotation. He likely won't be able to handle big minutes, but the Wolves need to see what they have with the 2024 No. 8 pick.
While Conley will likely remain a starter, it's not ideal to depend on a 38-year-old to solve a key problem and play 25-ish minutes a game. Regardless, Conley remaining a starter is the best option Chris Finch and the Timberwolves have.