Mike Conley no longer in Timberwolves' starting lineup, insider says

The Wolves are making a big switch to start the 2025-26 season.

May 10, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) waits for play to resume against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter during game three in the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

In a shocking reveal before the season opener Wednesday night, the Timberwolves have decided to move veteran Mike Conley to the bench and hand the starting point guard job to Donte DiVincenzo.

That's the word from NBA insider Chris Haynes, who says Conley will remain a "vital piece."

The starting five is now expected to feature DiVincenzo with Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert. That means Conley, Naz Reid, and Terrence Shannon Jr. are the top options off the bench, with Rob Dillingham operating as the third point guard and Jaylen Clark as an elite defensive option as the 9th and 10th players in the rotation.

That leaves Joan Beringer, Joe Ingles, Bones Hyland, and Leonard Miller on the bench, while Johnny Juzang, Rocco Zikarsky, and Enrique Freeman are on the roster via two-way contracts.

Here's a better look at the depth chart with DiVincenzo in the starting five.

Position	Starter	Backup	Third	Fourth
PG	DiVincenzo	Conley	Dillingham	Bones Hyland
SG	Edwards	Jaylen Clark
SF	McDaniels	Shannon	Ingles
PF	Randle	Reid	Miller
C	Gobert	Beringer

Oct 16, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) gestures after making a three point basket against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

While DiVincenzo may be in the lineup with the point guard title, the offense will still operate in the half-court through Edwards and Randle.

Anyone who doubts that needn't look any further than a late-September interview Wolves head coach Chris Finch did with MinnPost, when he flat-out said he prefers DiVincenzo off the ball.

"I like him better off the ball," Finch told Britt Robson. "Where we really like Donte and where I think he can fill in really well for [Nickeil Alexander-Walker], is in creating pace. Nickeil was a really good 'push guard,' he got the ball up and out of his hands relatively quickly. I think that suits how Donte likes to play and how he plays the best. I think he can help us there. But to rely on him to do any heavy ball-handling is probably not putting him in the best position for himself."

It'll be interesting to see the rotations Minnesota employs in the opener on Wednesday night against Portland. The game is scheduled to start at 9:13 p.m. CT.