Will we see Wolves playing Josh Minott or Rob Dillingham anytime soon?

In four games this season, the Timberwolves actually operated with an eight-man rotation. Their five starters (Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert) and three starting-caliber bench players (Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo and Nickeil Alexander-Walker) averaged more than 21 minutes per game. The only player in action so far is Joe Ingles, who has played a total of 22 minutes as the ninth man.

This means we have no playing time. preseason standout Josh Minott or first-round rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., not to mention the likes of Luka Garza and P.J. Dozier. This is partly due to the fact that the Wolves have not yet been involved in any conflicts. They played three close games plus one win over the Raptors, where they led by 22 points, but the lead was cut to seven in the final minutes, preventing them from making some work with the reserves.

This may not change soon. Head coach Chris Finch said he wants to play in English a little longer. get the tenth person in the rotation too, but in equal games it is difficult to do this. The Wolves also need to get their top eight players comfortable with each other on both ends of the floor after Randle and DiVincenzo emerged so close to the start of the season.

However, it’s fair to wonder whether giving Minott and Dillingham, in particular, minutes in the near future will actually benefit them.

The Wolves struggled a bit with their energy, defensive rebounding and efficiency in transition – both on the offensive fast break and getting back on defense to stop them. Based on what he showed in the preseason, Minott’s length and activity could help with that. He is an outstanding athlete who plays with a high motor and displays an improved outside shot in exhibition games.

It’s not so easy to say that Minott should play instead of Ingles because the Wolves value the veteran’s 3-point shooting experience and his ability to carry the offense when he touches the ball. But maybe there’s room to play them both as a second unit in a short burst or two?

Dillingham, the 19-year-old No. 8 overall pick from Kentucky, can also provide energy in a variety of ways. He has significant long-term upside with his ability to handle the ball, create shots and make plays for others, but the acquisition of DiVincenzo has left him without any minutes to play for now. Can he provide a spark in attack if Wolves struggle to score?

For now, Dillingham is waiting his turn, Conley noted this week.

“I’m just trying to keep him sane” Conley said. “I know he wants to play right away and you know he’s capable of that and whatever he can do to help us when he gets the opportunity, so I’m just trying to stay in his ear and preach to him how important it is he’s on our team. The things he can learn from when he’s not playing, studying our game, studying our schemes, studying other teams’ schemes… I promise you he’ll be ready when his time comes.”

The dilemma facing Finch is that while he might want to give Minott or Dillingham some opportunities in an ideal world, he also has eight entry-level players who need to mesh and grow together. And since every game matters in terms of playoff seeding, it’s not easy to just throw away the young guys and live with the ups and downs. Dillingham, for example, may add more to the Wolves’ turnover and defensive woes than help.

On the other hand, Edwards has played 39.3 minutes per game so far, which seems too much for a superstar and team leader. Even for an ultra-athletic 23-year-old, this is probably an unacceptable number. Perhaps McDaniels could have played a few fewer minutes as well. Ultimately, it may be worth going through some development pains with Mynott and Dillingham if it means they have a chance to become impact players next spring.

Let’s see how the rotation develops as the season progresses. Eventually there will be a time of debris or possible injury that will cause others to see the floor. But for now, players like Minott and Dillingham can only wait for their team and stay ready while they wait for their number to be called.