Subscribe
Follow Us
Fresh from a deep playoff run that saw them reach the Western Conference Finals in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves were poised to be top contenders in the West this season until a blockbuster trade prior to the 2024-2025 season.
The Timberwolves, who are also in the midst of an ownership spat, raised eyebrows when they traded away All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, in return for former NBA Most Improved Player Julius Randle and sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo.
Since the trade, the critics have been right. The Timberwolves are only posting a 10-10 record, as they sit in the 11th seed. Trading away did alleviate the team's financial concerns. However, it's evident that the squad has yet to fill the void left by the elite center. But to make matters worse, Randle and DiVincenzo are turning out to be a terrible fit in Minnesota.
As of this writing, the Timberwolves don't look like last year's contenders. In order to address this, some changes need to happen in order to further cushion the loss of Towns. But among the changes they need to make trading away DiVincenzo should be a first step towards the right direction for Minnesota.
Timberwolves' chemistry issues
It's safe to say that all is not well in Minnesota. One of the major consequences of shipping away Towns was personnel fit. Randle may be playing individually well, but that's just on the surface. In fact, a spat between him and Gobert told us what we need to know about the team's state. But while Randle is playing well, the other Timberwolves acquisition from the trade, DiVincenzo, isn't.
The sharpshooter out of Villanova is having a rough season so far. He is only putting up 9.1 points per game, which is a clear dropoff from his previous season's scoring average of 15.1 points per outing. Furthermore, it seems that DiVincenzo is also being asked to fulfill a role that he isn't exactly comfortable with.
With an injury to starting point guard Mike Conley, Chris Finch has experimented with utilizing DiVincenzo as a point guard. Since trying to make him a playmaker, the Timberwolves quickly learned that they were placing the sharpshooting guard out of his comfort zone. To make matters worse, DiVincenzo's inability to prove himself saw his minutes go down in favor of rookie Rob Dillingham, who did a better job in running the team's offense.
DiVincenzo is a knockdown shooter, who thrives in catch-and-shoot situations. However, it seems that the Timberwolves are failing to maximize his strength with their system.
Donte DiVincenzo shooting slump
The most glaring sign of Vincenzo's debut season with the Timberwolves so far has been his tremendous dip in shooting. The former NBA champion is only making 33.3% of his shots from beyond the arc. Last year, DiVincenzo was hitting a career-high 40.7% clip from downtown. In addition to this, he's only making 36% of his shots from the field overall.
With DiVincenzo being asked to play a different role, it's easy to see why those shooting numbers went significantly down. By playing point guard duties, DiVincenzo is forced to create and work more for his shots. In contrast to his days with the Knicks, he was simply asked to knock down shots as part of the team's flowing offense.
Fortunately, Conley's return seems to be a temporary antidote to DiVincenzo's woes. In the past two games, the Timberwolves guard has converted six out of 11 of his shots from Rainbow Country. With Conley's return, DiVincenzo should be able to play with more familiarity as a catch-and-shoot player at the shooting guard position. However, it remains to be seen whether he can do it at a longer stretch.
A valuable asset on another team
There's no question that DiVincenzo's greatest asset is his shooting, combined with his perimeter defense. This makes him a valuable 3-and-D player to any contender like the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors. Although the Wolves guard has been in a slump, anyone can tell that the primary reason for his struggles is simply his fit with the team.
Perhaps, a change in scenery would be beneficial to all parties. In exchange for DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves can attempt to get some players that would be a better fit to Finch's system, because DiVincenzo has yet to solidify himself as a crucial piece in the Wolves rotation. But one thing is for sure, there are other NBA teams who are willing to try to unleash the 3-and-D potential of DiVincenzo.
