Timberwolves coach Chris Finch knows he doesn’t have a traditional power forward on the roster, so he has said he will be fluid with his starting lineups this season based on matchups. Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell and Jaden McDaniels should be locks to start every night, but Finch is going to play around with who gets the fifth spot.
For the opener on Wednesday night against Houston, Finch is going with Josh Okogie. He is the second-longest-tenured Wolf behind Towns, and Finch has consistently lauded Okogie’s work ethic and blossoming offensive game during training camp. At 6-foot-5, he doesn’t bring much size to the table, and the Wolves are one of the smallest teams in the league. But Finch hopes Okogie’s hustle and strength can help mitigate some of that.
Other nights it might be Taurean Prince, a veteran who is a more reliable shooter, but not quite the defender Okogie is. Jarred Vanderbilt could be another option if the Wolves are getting hammered on the boards, which could be a season-long problem.
For tonight, it’s Okogie, and the combination of him and McDaniels, another stalwart defender, gives Finch some balance with shotmakers Edwards, Russell and Towns filling out the starting lineup.