3 Non-Power Forward Questions Tim Connelly and Chris Finch Still Need to Answer

The Timberwolves' power forward search ended earlier this week when they finally signed Jonathan Kuminga to a two-year contract.

Now that we have that out of the way, a roster shakeup as big as what the Wolves have undergone leaves more questions than just who shares the frontcourt with Rudy Gobert. Silently, other players are no longer on the roster who were heavily relied upon in more places than just on the floor.

Let's examine a few additional questions that head coach Chris Finch, and moreover the man who pulled the trigger on the plethora of moves, general manager Tim Connelly, will need answers to heading out of training camp.

1. Where does the leadership come from?

What do Joe Ingles, Mike Conley, and Kyle Anderson have in common?

They're no longer on the roster, but were heavily relied upon by Finch and his staff to be the adults in the room.

Not only was the older trio the wiley veteran group in the room that used their plethora of experience to demonstrate what instilling a gameplan and attention to detail looked like, but they also did the little things - engaged on the bench, uplifting to teammates, speaking to media after tough losses, and walking examples of what happens when talent meets professionalism—a long, tenured and successful career.

Conley is in Boston. Ingles is back home playing professionally in Australia. Anderson is north of the border in Toronto. In addition to what they provided off the floor, their savvy gamesmanship showed on the floor. Conley had a knack for working officials and drawing illegal screens at the right time later in games, and Kyle Anderson was one of the better pick-and-roll defenders on the team.

This season, Gobert is the elder statesman. He's started that journey out on the right foot with an all-inclusive team trip to Paris. Over the years, he's had his ups and downs. The infamous punch with Anderson happened. Last season, he inferred that benching players could help with accountability, which Finch took exception to.

Chris Finch on Rudy Gobert’s comments after the Pelicans games calling for accountability

“I’m well aware of his comments, I’d say a couple things one is anybody who knows how we do things here knows there’s a high degree of accountability, secondly I handle all our… pic.twitter.com/QsTuJQh4Yz
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) February 7, 2026

Always more of a leader by example, Gobert's attempts at leading the locker room have been mixed - but they're off to a good start this season.

Connelly and Finch would likely tell you it's Anthony Edwards's turn to grab the baton. At 25, Edwards has a lot to prove as a leader. Charismatic and someone the team clearly gravitates towards, the questions come on a night-to-night basis. The Wolves' cornerstone often finds himself not locked into the game plan and with low attention to detail during the regular season. He must remedy that this year to make strides.

It might be easy to laugh at the thought of three guys who barely played being major holes in the locker room for this team. But especially in Conley's case, his impact being gone will be felt. It's time for the others to pick up the slack. But who is the main one who takes up the rope?

2. How does the coaching staff get filled out?

A large hole on the Wolves' bench remains.

Max LeFevre is headed to Paris, and top assistant Micah Nori is leading the Trail Blazers bench this coming season. LeFevre, while an important development coach, has the easier shoes to fill.

Nori, on the other hand, will be difficult. A trusted confidant of Finch over the last few years, Nori's ability to relate to and connect with people is unmatched. His ability to take scouting reports from staff and get everyone to collaborate on a game plan will be missed. His in-game management and ability to distill staff opinions were a superpower.

After his departure, the Timberwolves need experience, and they need someone who has some energy. Willie Green, who would fit that mold perfectly, is in Dallas on rookie coach Dusty May's staff. Seasoned vets like Terry Stotts are still out there, but it would be hard to see the Wolves going in that direction. Experience and energy have to be prerequisites here, and it's hard to see someone on the current staff take that mantle and raise the team's ceiling.

LaMelo Ball celebrates a bucket. — LaMelo Ball's acquisition solves a lot of questions, but how long will it take to acclimate? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With training camp a month away, it'll need to be a question that gets answered in short order.

3. How long will the runway be for the adjustment period?

Every acquisiton comes with an adjustment period. Just ask Rudy Gobert.

The LaMelo Ball situation will surely be different. A dominant player on the ball and a willing passer, it would be surprising to see him play the "your turn, my turn" game that's been played with Edwards so often over the last four seasons. Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle have been the most recent participants, and I'm sure won't be the last. But in any large roster change that the Wolves have made since Finch has been in Minnesota, an adjustment period follows. Whether it was Gobert taking up the center mantle next to Towns, Conley coming in to replace D'Angelo Russell, or the shift from Towns to Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

These things take time to coalesce. And with Naz Reid no longer in the picture, another tenured player used to what the Wolves do is out the door. So, how long of a runway does the new group have to take their lumps early on in the season before we understand what they actually are?

In Gobert's case, it took an entire season. In Conley's case, about two months. In Randle's case, more than half of a season. The Wolves simply won't have that in this scenario.

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