Jaden McDaniels Admits Rob Dillingham Will Improve in The 2025-26 Season

It was surprising that Dillingham did not get many minutes during his rookie season, considering he is a lottery pick. However, it looked like coach Finch and the rest of the coaching staff wanted Dillingham to keep developing behind the scenes.

He has a good group of veterans around him, like Conley, McDaniels, and Anthony Edwards, who can help him grow into his own in the league. Moving forward, it seems Dillingham will figure into the plans more and more.

McDaniels Sees Dillingham's Growth During His Rookie Year

It takes time to learn the ropes as a lead guard in the NBA. Many players and coaches would agree that it is the position with the steepest learning curve. 

That is why the Timberwolves are taking their time with Dillingham's development. They know he is supremely talented, but he needed some time to grow, which the Timberwolves are keenly aware of. 

McDaniels, who has been one of his veterans on the team, appreciates what his rookie was doing throughout the 2024-25 season. It was enough for McDaniels to see a bright future ahead for the former Kentucky Wildcat.

"He's come a long way. Rob, he wants to play bad and he knows how good he can be. For him, it's kinda frustrating, but we always tell him... it's a timing thing," McDaniels said about Dillingham. "He’s done really well learning to keep working, keep working out no matter whether you’re playing or not. I think he’s going to be ready next year for sure."

The Timberwolves Need Dillingham's Dynamic Play

During the Timberwolves' Western Conference Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, one problem was made abundantly clear. That was Edwards lacking a dynamic point guard to help him on offense.

Since Conley is his primary partner, Edwards was tasked to be the primary scorer and playmaker for the Timberwolves. When the Thunder learned how to defend Edwards well, the Timberwolves offense stagnated.

If they had a more dynamic point guard, the team would have had a better offense. It would have flowed better because the defense had to focus on multiple players and not just Edwards.

Dillingham could be that player because he is immensely talented. He is a microwave scorer who can turn the tides of a game. However, he still needs a lot of reps to be on the same level as Edwards in coach Chris Finch's system. His time is coming, as he needs to be patient.