It has been a rather disappointing second NBA season for Rob Dillingham. Since being selected eighth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, the soon-to-be 21-year-old (January 4) has never gained the full trust of Chris Finch.
A fully healthy Timberwolves squad now sees Dillingham out of the rotation. The team has seen recent injuries, though, which have allowed him to play some minutes again. Dillingham needs to take advantage to ensure he can stay in the rotation, but Saturday was yet another example of him not really doing so.
Dillingham scores seven in loss to Nets
Minnesota recently learned it would be without guard Terrence Shannon Jr. for at least the next two weeks due to a sore left foot. Mike Conley was listed as questionable before Saturday’s game against the Nets, but he was made available (didn’t play). Did Finch give Dillingham minutes over Conley against Brooklyn, or was he never planning to play Conley and instead give him the night off?
Regardless, Dillingham did get to play about 11 minutes (last two minutes were garbage time as he re-entered with the Wolves trailing by 18) after not seeing any floor time in the previous three outings for the Timberwolves. The 6-foot-2 guard scored seven points (1-5 shooting) to go along with one rebound, one assist, and one turnover. The four free throw attempts are encouraging, but the last two only came because of a take foul by the Nets while Minnesota was in the bonus at the end of the game, so they could empty the bench.
Prior to Saturday, Dillingham was a DNP-CD for 3 straight outings. He also received one on December 8, but played the ensuing four games as Anthony Edwards missed three of them and Conley all four.
In about 63 minutes over those four appearances, Dillingham totaled 23 points, nine assists, and seven turnovers. He wasn’t necessarily terrible, but he is also not doing enough to force Finch to continue playing him more frequently.
Struggles have gone on all season
Yesterday was Dillingham’s 26th appearance on the season in what was Minnesota’s 32nd game. His efficiency has dropped a fairly good amount from his rookie season, and he wasn’t very efficient that year either. Dillingham is now shooting just 34.2 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from beyond the arc.
No, Dillingham has not been given a long leash at all this season to showcase his talents. But he’s at the point where he has to make an impact quickly, so he won’t be taken out after a short time. Dillingham has just one game this season where he has scored in double figures (11 points on November 9 against the Kings, a game he played the entire fourth quarter due to the Timberwolves blowing them out). Even as a rookie, he had eight games of at least 10 points.
A sharpshooter in his one year at Kentucky, Dillingham has made just 33 of his 101 3-point attempts in the NBA. Yes, he’s just 21 (well, almost), but much more was expected of the 2024 lottery pick at this point.