The Minnesota Timberwolves knew they needed to address some holes in their frontcourt depth entering the 2026-27 season. Losing Naz Reid and Julius Randle left a pretty significant hole in the rotation, and replacing that much production was never going to be easy. But, one of their offseason additions is already giving Chris Finch something the team desperately needed.

Trey Lyles has quietly become an important piece of Minnesota’s rotation. The veteran forward isn’t putting up huge numbers every night, but his ability to stretch the floor, rebound and play alongside different combinations of players is giving the Timberwolves’ second unit a different look. The casual basketball watcher has no idea who he is but he is a tall forward that can shoot the ball when needed and is a capable defender.

His performance against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday was another example of what he can bring. Lyles finished with 12 points and four rebounds in just over 21 minutes, shooting 4-of-9 from the field and knocking down two three-pointers. It wasn’t a crazy stat line, but it was the type of stable production Minnesota needs from its bench.

More importantly, it showed why Lyles could end up being one of the team’s most important role players.

Lyles Gives Minnesota a Different Offensive Look

One of the biggest things Lyles brings to Minnesota is his shooting ability. At 6-foot-9, he gives Finch a frontcourt option who can step outside and make defenses respect him beyond the arc. Lyles is never going to draw much attention so teams are going to be closing out to him late and he's tall enough where if you are late you cannot affect his jumpshot.

That might sound like a small thing, but it makes a difference when looking at the players around him. Minnesota has plenty of players who can attack the basket, create their own shots for themselves and put pressure on the defense. Having a big who doesn’t need to occupy the paint gives those players more room to operate.

It is especially useful when Lyles shares the floor with Bones Hyland and LaMelo Ball. Both guards are at their best when they can get downhill, create opportunities and put pressure on opposing defenses. Lyles gives them another option when defenses collapse into the paint instead of having another big waiting around the basket.

Lyles ability to space the floor, move the ball and take advantage of open opportunities without taking away possessions from Minnesota’s primary scorers.

His shooting ability isn’t something that came out of nowhere, either. Lyles spent the 2025-26 season in Europe with Real Madrid after a decade in the NBA, averaging 13.5 points and shooting an absurd 45.9% from three in EuroLeague play. That experience gave him an opportunity to show he could still be a productive offensive player, and Minnesota is starting to benefit from it.

Chris Finch Has More Options With His Rotation

The other major benefit of having Lyles is the flexibility he gives Chris Finch.

Minnesota’s frontcourt looks considerably different following the departures of Reid and Randle. Jonathan Kuminga has stepped nicely into a starting role, while Rudy Gobert remains the team’s starting center for the time being. That leaves Finch needing dependable options behind them, especially when the starters need a break.

Lyles can play off of another big or operate as the primary frontcourt option in smaller lineups. That gives Finch more freedom to adjust depending on the opponent instead of having to stick with the same combinations throughout a game.

It also takes some pressure off the younger players. Joan Beringer is still developing, and asking him to immediately handle a significant portion of the frontcourt minutes would be a lot to put on a young player. Having a veteran like Lyles available gives Minnesota another option while Beringer continues to develop.

That doesn’t mean Lyles needs to take over the rotation or play starter-level minutes. In fact, his value might be greatest when he can settle into a consistent role off the bench and give the team a reliable 15 to 20 minutes that he’s been playing recently.

Lyles Could Become One of Minnesota’s Most Important Bench Pieces

There is still plenty of basketball left before anyone can make a definitive judgment about Minnesota’s bench. Lyles has only been with the team for a short time, and his production will naturally fluctuate throughout the season.

However, the early returns are encouraging. Through his first eight regular-season appearances, he is averaging 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game. Those numbers aren’t going to jump off the page, but they also don’t tell the entire story of what he provides.

The Timberwolves don’t need Lyles to replace everything they lost with Reid and Randle. They need him to give the second unit a dependable frontcourt presence, knock down open shots and make life easier for the players around him.

That is exactly the type of role he can fill.

If Lyles continues to provide the same shooting and versatility, the Timberwolves’ bench could end up being much better than many expected entering the season. For a team that lost two important frontcourt pieces over the summer, that would be a pretty significant development.