Chris Finch and Tim Connelly Power Forward Comments Leave Three Options for Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves filled their most glaring roster hole from last season by trading for LaMelo Ball, a traditional, pass-first point guard and dynamic scorer next to Anthony Edwards. But in doing so, they created a new weakness that Minnesota brass must address or work around before the season begins in October.

To fill the need for a starting point guard, the Wolves gave up forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid (along with heavy draft compensation). This has left the head coach Chris Finch working with only one legitimate power forward on his roster: Trey Lyles, whom the Wolves signed to a one-year veteran minimum contract on July 3 after the 30-year-old spent last season playing in Spain.

Lyles gives the Wolves some sizable depth and solid three-point shooting. Still, many predict Minnesota’s starting lineup will feature Ball, Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.

Timberwolves HC Chris Finch weighs in on starting power forward spot

However, in a recent interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Chris Hine, Finch pushed back on the idea of McDaniels being Minnesota’s starting four.

“I don’t immediately envision Jaden just moving over and playing the four,” Finch told Hine. “While I can see at times he’ll play there and maybe play a good number of minutes there, I don’t see that right off the bat, and I don’t necessarily, in my mind’s eye, see that as a starting lineup with him there.”

Standing at nearly seven feet tall, McDaniels has the length to play power forward, but he lacks the strength to contend with some of the NBA’s bigger front courts. According to Cleaning the Glass, McDaniels spent 88% of his time last season at small forward and only 5% at power forward.

So if Finch isn’t comfortable with McDaniels starting at power forward, how could he and the Timberwolves go about fixing that?

Option one: Sign LeBron James, obviously

As of Monday morning, James has still not signed with his next NBA team. He attended Fanatics Fest 2026 in New York City last week, where he hinted that a decision might be close. But James didn't divulge anything else.

The Timberwolves still appear to be in the running. Finch and Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly have both recently spoken about their pitch to James, which is centered around his unique ability to win a championship next to a player he greatly respects in Edwards while helping boost his resume by potentially being a part of the city's first men’s professional championship since the Minnesota Twins’ most recent World Series win in 1991.

LeBron James Anthony Edwards Timberwolves — Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) guards Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the second quarter during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Obviously, James would immediately patch Minnesota’s need for a power forward. He would provide the Wolves with one of the smartest minds to ever play the game while taking Edwards and Ball under his wing for a season. James would inject another on-ball creator alongside Edwards and a great pick-and-roll partner. The fit, even with James now 41 years old, would still be spectacular, and it would only take the Wolves forking over a minimum contract to make it happen.

But if that doesn’t happen, if James goes back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers or teams up with Steph Curry in the Bay Area, the Wolves could look to the trade market.

Option two: Trade for a starting-caliber power forward

With just about enough space under the second apron for one final veteran minimum contract, Tim Connelly could look to trade for more of a needle mover. However, his avenues to do so right now are limited.

The Wolves could trade guard Josh Green, whom they acquired in the LaMelo deal. But because that trade is finalized, Minnesota can’t package Green and his $14.7 million salary with another player until September 9, according to Dane Moore. The Wolves also can’t take in more money in a deal than they send out because they are hard-capped at the second apron.

Josh Green Hornets Timberwolves — Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) shoots a three-point shot in the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To move off Green, the Wolves could only include him in a trade and receive exactly his salary or less in return. The pool of affordable players who would be significant upgrades from Green — a good defending three-point threat — is very shallow.

The Wolves also seem to have zero interest in trading Donte DiVincenzo, who will miss most of this season with an Achilles injury and carries a $12.5 million cap hit. Finch said on a Bleacher Report livestream at the Las Vegas Summer League that the Wolves view DiVincenzo as a long-term fit because of his winning, fearless and tough mindset. They have also wanted to do right by DiVincenzo after his injury.

“[Trading him] was never, ever a consideration by Tim,” Finch said.

With both Green and DiVincenzo unlikely to be dealt, the Wolves would be hard-pressed to find a trade partner for a starting-caliber power forward before the season starts.

But the Wolves could revisit the possibility during the year. Players around the league will be made available who maybe aren’t right now. Internal players could become dispensable, and the Wolves would be able to package Green’s contract with a young player.

Or maybe Minnesota’s hole at power forward proves to be less concerning than it looks to be right now. Maybe the Wolves can find their answer in-house.

Option three: Start Josh Green or Terrence Shannon Jr.

Last week, Connelly joined Dan Barreiro on his afternoon radio show on KFAN and discussed Finch’s comments regarding McDaniels potentially not being the starting power forward to start the season.

“I think we have some internal options that maybe would be a little ‘left-fieldish’ for some, but we’re confident in,” Connelly said.

Barring an unlikely trade, Connelly will fill Minnesota’s 14th standard roster spot with a veteran minimum signing. If that player is not LeBron, they will likely be someone similar to Lyles — a low-level veteran forward who adds depth to Minnesota’s roster but will certainly not be a starting-caliber.

If that happens, then Finch must get creative with the tools already on his roster. The Wolves may lack traditional power forward depth, but they have versatile size in their guard room:

Shannon Jr. — 6'6", 220 lbs
Green — 6'6", 200 lbs
Jaylen Clark — 6'3", 205 lbs
Isaiah Evans — 6'6", 186 lbs

Of those names, Green is the most intriguing to me. According to Cleaning the Glass, he spent 36% of his time last year with the Hornets at small forward. He has the strength and scrappiness to defend fours and would feel comfortable doing so.

"I think that's one of my strengths, being able to plug in and be able to do that offensively and defensively," Green said during his introductory press conference last week at Target Center when a reporter asked him about playing power forward. "So really, whatever is asked of me, I'll be ready to go."

Josh Green's catch-and-shoot 3-point percentage:

Last season: 43%
2024-25: 39.9%
2023-24: 38.7%
2022-23: 41.3%

Sneakily good addition in this trade to make up for some of Donte DiVincenzo's floor spacing off the bench.
— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) June 25, 2026

Green would give Minnesota’s starting lineup an efficient catch-and-shoot threat from deep who has experience playing alongside Ball. He would also help supply the scrappy, rugged, winning play that DiVincenzo usually brings. Starting Green would slide Dosunmu to the bench, providing the scoring punch amongst the reserves that Minnesota will miss without Reid. Dosunmu, coming off the bench, could also make it easier on Finch to balance the on-ball scoring within his lineups.

Shannon would be a solid option, as he is a willing cutter and entered this offseason focused on improving as an off-ball threat on offense. At the same time, Finch believed last season that he didn’t allow Shannon to have the ball in his hands as much as he should have. Starting Shannon, while he does have the most size of anyone in Minnesota’s guard room, would keep him primarily as an off-ball player. While it will be important for him to continue to grow in that role, I still think having Shannon come off the bench alongside Dosunmu and Bones Hyland may better suit his skills.

Minnesota's starting lineup would benefit from Clark's hard-bitten point-of-attack defense, but he is still learning the nuances of how to defend smartly against different types of NBA talent. Clark also lacks a consistent catch-and-shoot three-point shot.

Lyles, even though he spent last season in Spain, probably still has NBA-level skills left in the tank. His floor spacing abilities could allow him to fit naturally in the starting lineup. But Lyles probably isn't one of the "left-fieldish" options that Connelly hinted at.

Ultimately, I think Green's proven 3-and-D abilities and multi-positional defense would fit the best alongside Ball, Edwards, McDaniels, and Gobert.

Regardless, none of these options — outside of Lyles — are legitimate fours. And if any of them start over Dosunmu, McDaniels would still be officially listed as a power forward in the starting lineup, while Shannon, Green, or Clark plays more in that role both offensively and defensively. For that to happen successfully, Minnesota will need that injected fifth starter to rebound at a higher rate, be able to guard multiple positions and fit alongside a very ball-dominant starting core.

If the Wolves don’t land LeBron, Finch will likely have to get creative to keep McDaniels playing primarily small forward. And the Wolves, while lacking a traditional power forward, do have the size and versatility elsewhere to allow that to happen.

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