Chris Finch is heading into this season with a different kind of challenge in front of him. The Timberwolves have gone through a wave of roster change, and Finch said in a recent interview with Britt Robson of the Minn Post that the task now is blending what’s still familiar with a new way of doing things.
Finch pointed to the core that remains in place, saying, “ But the tentpoles (Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels) are still here. And we like that.
But I think it will be good to take those guys back to the beginning, too. And they’ve got to be part of the journey and impart more knowledge, understanding and expectation.
”
He also said former lead assistant coach Micah Nori is gone. With that in mind, Finch is looking at how the Wolves can adjust defensively, especially when it comes to matching up with bigger power forwards. He said he is considering borrowing some principles from the setup the team used when Karl-Anthony Towns and Gobert were paired together.
“The cool thing is that [the changes allow] us to be creative. But it is a balance, because right out of the gate you don’t want to be super-creative, because then you don’t have any foundation,” he said. “ That’s the biggest trap.”
LaMelo Ball is another major piece in Finch’s thinking, and the coach spent a lot of time talking about him on both sides of the ball. Finch said the first priority is getting Ball settled into the team’s way of doing things.
“ Just getting LaMelo to understand how we do things and the urgency with which that needs to happen,” he said, before stressing how important it will be for Ball to build defensive pick-and-roll chemistry with Gobert. “ LaMelo has never played with a rim protector like that. But so he has to learn to play with a rim protector like that, too.”
Finch also wants Ball to tighten up his offense by cleaning up shot selection and being more decisive at the rim. “ If you want to be a good shooter, the first thing you should do is get rid of the bad shots.
He does take some - and he can make them. But I think he has relied heavily on it, ” he said.
“ The second piece is the finishing aspect. I think he goes into the paint a lot of the time as a passer, with a passing mentality - because he is so elite at it … So we really want him to focus on having a finishing plan, and embracing the contact that comes with finishing down there (at the rim) a little bit more.”
Edwards, meanwhile, is being asked to shoulder more on the defensive end now that the Wolves have added more scoring around him. Finch said Edwards’ offensive load should ease up, but he also wants to see a bigger defensive imprint from the team’s superstar guard.
“ His on-ball handling duties (on offense) will be reduced, which was probably the most taxing thing for him last year,” Finch said. “ I also feel that for him to have an MVP season, he has to have more of a defensive component.”
Finch said the scheme has played a part in Edwards’ defensive slide, noting that the guard was better in more aggressive, rotation-based systems earlier in his career. He also said some bad habits may have crept in as the Wolves moved away from that style. Finch added that Edwards has been effective guarding bigger players such as Zion Williamson and Pascal Siakam.
McDaniels is coming off a major scoring jump during the Wolves’ 2025 playoff run, and Finch wants that growth to continue. “ We need another step (forward) from Jaden,” he said.
“ We expect some more opportunities to land in Jaden’s lap. And now he has proven that he is a play-call guy.”
Finch also wants McDaniels to be more involved as a passer, particularly in two-man actions with Gobert. He called McDaniels one of the team’s best interior passers and said his size gives him a chance to find Gobert more often. Finch said the connection between the two was stronger when Gobert first arrived, but that it faded as McDaniels became more focused on scoring.
He also raised the possibility of using McDaniels as a small-ball center in certain situations if Gobert and second-year big Joan Beringer need help. Finch said that could let the Wolves add another perimeter defender, though he said no final decision has been made. He also mentioned Trey Lyles as another option in that role.
“ W e did find a lot of zone success with Jaden in the middle in the five; we really like that,” he said. “ Opportunities are there because Jaden can be so elite at the rim. “
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