Three New Things We Could See From the Wolves' Offense This Season

The Timberwolves have transformed their roster. Now, their brand of basketball will change with it.

Watch for these Wolves changes in 2026-27. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New season, new roster.

Forget the "continuity" storyline that rode into the season a year ago with keeping almost everyone 1-13 intact. Tim Connelly, Chris Finch, and the rest of the Timberwolves are moving and shaking.

A new point guard is in the fold. No real power forward currently exists that will slot into the starting lineup. A vastly different identity than the iso-heavy, bruising brand of basketball of years past despite calls for an increase in pace from Finch.

It's a new roster, and things will look different. Let's look at a couple of them offensively.

A let-it-fly mentality

Last season, the Wolves were 17th in the league in three-point attempts per game. It made sense. They didn't really have the personnel to do more.

Julius Randle, an already-spotty shooter, had a less-than-stellar season from beyond the arc (31%). Essentially, the Wolves trotted out two non-three point shooters in their starting five, both in the frontcourt. Tough for your spacing setup.

In a Chris Finch offense where freedom and pace will be emphasized, surely four good three-point shooters will be out on the floor at once not afraid to let if fly.

With Anthony Edwards playing off the ball and coming off of a season in which he shot 49% on catch-and-shoot threes, Jaden McDaniels coming off of a career-high season in three-point shooting (41%), and LaMelo Ball not afraid to zip it around the floor (Kon Kneuppel shot 7% better from three with LaMelo on the floor, incase you haven't heard), the Wolves will be much better equipped to let it fly.

The question becomes, will they become to reliant upon it, like Boston did last year? Or can they find a way to keep a healthy mix of attacking the basket?

Pick and roll volume increase

Chris Finch doesn't like to run choreographed pick and rolls. Early on in his tenure, he liked to emphasize getting into "random pick and rolls."

Pick and roll volume will certainly rise with fast processing power at the point guard position. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With surely more pace and ball movement in the halfcourt, and more processing power at the point guard position, it would be surprising if more guard screens weren't set from the likes of Edwards to eventually decoy and shake loose for catch-and-shoot opportunities, or Rudy Gobert much more willing to be a heavy screener offensively, knowing the ball is more likely to come his way with Ball at the controls.

Last season, LaMelo ran 8.6 pick and rolls per game as the ball handler. Edwards on the other hand, the de facto point guard for the Wolves, ran six. Finch's offensive principles won't change much, but more space is created on the floor around Rudy Gobert now; giving the option to kick it to better shooters, or throw a pass up for him to reclaim his league title in dunks (he was third last season).

Added transition tempo

Last season, the Wolves were 13th in the transition possessions per game and 12th in transition frequency. It would be utterly shocking if they were not well within the top ten this season.

Oftentimes, when the Wolves would grab a rebound in the previous two seasons, it was not within Edwards, Julius Randle, or even Mike Conley's nature to get out and play fast, but rather to slow up and look for isolation mismatches (the Wolves were third in isolation possessions per game).

Now, they have no choice. Either get out and run, or watch a one-man fastbreak do his thing.

SHOWTIME!

Brandon Miller THROWS IT DOWN on the fastbreak off a lob from LaMelo Ball 😤

pic.twitter.com/x5FiqEQMn5

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 28, 2026

When the starting lineup is off the floor, Ayo Dosunmu comes in with Bones Hyland and pushes the break while showcasing elite guard rebounding.

In years past, it would drive Finch crazy how often the Wolves would let other teams off the hook by playing slower and allowing them to get set defensively. He often tabbed it as being their own worst enemy.

With more tools to get out an run in transition, and a backup center that used to play soccer ready to fill that mold seamlessly, the Wolves will surely increase their transition efficiency this season.

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