Donte DiVincenzo’s road back from a torn Achilles may be a little more forgiving than it is for most players, and that matters for the Timberwolves as they wait to see if he can get back on the floor this season.
The 29-year-old is still rehabbing the injury he suffered in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets last season, but the signs have started to point toward a return at some point during the year. DiVincenzo said as much at Minnesota’s Media Day on Monday, and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly echoed that optimism.
"Donte (DiVincenzo) looks great,” Connelly said. “As you guys all know, Donte attacks everything like he attacks the court.
I thought our medical staff and his agents did a great job of quickly getting it addressed. He was under the knife 24 hours after the surgery.
He looks as good as we'd hoped. We don't want to put any added pressure on him, but we're cautious and optimistic that we're going to see Donte this season, and we know how much he brings to our team."
Even with that upbeat tone, nobody should expect DiVincenzo to look exactly like himself the moment he returns. Achilles injuries usually come with a reset period. But his skill set gives him a better shot than many at getting close to form quickly.
That’s because his value isn’t built around burst and explosiveness the way some wings are. Compared with someone like Jayson Tatum, who came back late last season from the same injury, DiVincenzo leans far less on athleticism to drive his game. He’s a lower-usage player, and in Minnesota his shot profile has tilted even more heavily toward the arc.
In his first two seasons with the Timberwolves, at least 70 percent of his field-goal attempts have come from 3-point range in four straight seasons, including a career-high 77.4 percent in 2025-26. He also isn’t asked to create much off the dribble.
Last season, 90.6 percent of his made 3-pointers came off assists. That kind of spot-up role tends to be kinder to a player working back from an Achilles injury than someone who has to manufacture his own looks.
The same logic applies on defense. Minnesota has enough capable defenders that DiVincenzo doesn’t need to chase the opponent’s top perimeter scorer when he comes back.
With Jaden McDaniels around, he can be used on the least threatening player on the floor. Lateral quickness can take a hit after this kind of injury, but DiVincenzo was never built on elite lateral speed to begin with.
There’s also less immediate pressure on him now that he is no longer in the starting lineup, and he’ll have time to build himself back up. LaMelo Ball will now share the backcourt with Anthony Edwards.
For now, the calendar is still the biggest unknown. There’s no timetable for DiVincenzo’s return, and the regular season ends on June 11, which is just under a year after he suffered the injury. Tatum made it back after 298 days, which would point to a possible DiVincenzo return around the All-Star break, though every comeback has its own pace.
If and when he does come back, Target Center should be ready for a loud one.
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