Now that the draft lottery has gone … the only way we really could have expected it to … and Kevin Love has said …. what we had to expect him to … it’s time I share my in depth thoughts about this years NBA draft prospects.
But first:
Some Questions that have to be asked:
Why have the Twolves sucked at drafts soooo freaking much?
There’s a lot that goes into this answer.
It is true that the Twolves have had major issues selecting a talented player with their pick. We saw them pick Johnny Flynn and Wes Johnson thinking that they were the safe pick. Thinking that their shooting and athleticism would always allow for them to contribute to the growth of a basketball team.
In hid sight … crap. That didn’t work at all.
We see plenty of players that the Twolves could have drafted pan out to be absolute studs. The bull crap of thinking the “safe” pick, is the right one, is just that … bull crap.
In order for the Twolves to build a contender they have to pick the player who they think possesses the greatest potential talent.
That’s easier said than done. Most people expected Johnny Flynn to pan out WAY better than he did. Most “draft experts” had Wesley Johnson’s shooting ability billed up their with Kyle Korver’s and his defense like Thabo Sefolosha or Tony Allen.
So the Twolves organization has had some major bad luck.
Outside of never seeing their position improve in the lottery, it seems whenever they come away with players who should make a big splash, like J.R. Rider, Starbury, even Christian Laetner, they don’t pan out. And when they go with the consensus, they end up with guys like Johnny Flynn, Wes Johnson, and Derrick Williams.
To the credit of Flip Saunders, I think the the wolves did great last year. Drafting two players with solid NBA talents: Gorgui Dieng and Shabazz Muhammad.
They absolutely need to come out of this draft with at least one solid player … and they have a lot of options.
What do the wolves need to succeed?
I think that the Twolves need, more than anything, two way players. Players who make positive impacts on both sides of the court.
Kevin Garnett was a state of the art two way player. Unfortunately, Wolves were unable to draft KG a crew of players he could team up with for the long term. Nonetheless, any star that could be expected to anchor a franchise must be a two way player.
What has to be remembered now?
The wolves are going into this draft, whether we like it or not, in rebuild mode again. Kevin Love is lost. The Ricky, Kevin, Pek three headed monster (offensively) and little yippy dog (defensively) is all but gone.
The team doesn’t currently have a coach not named Flip, and they have an owner that is stubborn enough to think that they could hold on to Kevin Love. Let’s hope it has become incredibly clear that Love is lost and they need to take the best offer possible. The only way this truly happens is if they make the trade before the draft. The Twolves, are either in “demolish-and-rebuild” mode, or “re-model” mode. Either way, this deep draft can be part of a great foundation moving forward or provide some additional parts and reinforcements to the current, crumbling foundation.
This allows for much deliberation over who the Wolves could draft. With an All-Star on the trading block, just about anything could be in play.
With the first pick, in the 2014 NBA draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves Select ……
#1: Joel Embiid
Wait … what?
The Low Down: This guy simply has so much raw talent. He’s a natural basketball player. Not many people develop so much skill so early in their basketball lives. His physical gifting are straight up scary. He’s longer than long, and ridiculously mobile for a man of his size. The only real issue that I’ve seen with his game, is some peculiar shot selection. This however speaks just as much to his high level of confidence and basketball instinct, as it does any potential downside of picking him.
He’s got touch, great defensive ability, athleticism, developing face to the basket skills, and natural passing instincts. He’s got the talent to become a throw-back true center with all, and I mean all, of the skills, on both sides of the court.
How he fits the Wolves needs: Athleticism, Defense, Broad list of (all of the) skills, legendary potential.
Drawbacks: Gorgui, Pek and Turiaf are here, would have to move more players to usher in the Embiid era, He’s still kind of raw.
As a Twolf: If the Twolves acquire the first pick in the draft they would have to, absolutely have to, select Joel Embiid … unless they trade the pick.
However, before this Kevin Love stuff came out, many Twolves fans, including myself had been thinking that the wolves could run with a “bigs” rotation of Pek, Dieng and Kevin, with Pek and Deing playing some minutes together. I think this could work. Dieng seems athletic enough to guard most PFs and certainly seems to be developing the ability to stretch the floor every bit as well as a guy like Dante Cunningham. Embiid appears to be able to do all of that and then some. He moves every bit as well as Serge Ibaka so he could totally shift over to PF too. It might even be good for Embiid to play some PF, in the strength and toughness portion of the game.
Plus I just think it’d be funny if the Twolves went from seeing Pek and Kevin on the court at the same time with no rim protection, to Gorgui and Joel swatting tons of shots all the way to St. Paul. Plus, wouldn’t Ricky love throwing lobs to this guy … we all want to see happy Ricky, right? You don’t come across 7’5″ wingspans with athleticism anywhere.
If the Twolves are going with a full scale rebuild. I think Joel Embiid would be a great way to go with the #1 pick. But, as a “re-modeling” is probably more in order, we’ll probably see …
A more likely scenario: (as hashed out by Bill Simmons)
If the Twolves manage to acquire the #1 pick in a Kevin Love trade, they would have the opportunity to trade down. Among a multitude of possible offers, is Philadelphia. They could offer the #3 and #10 picks. In this situation, barring some shocker where neither Philly or Milwaukee select Embiid (which surprisingly is still being mocked as a legit possibility), the Twolves would take who ever is remaining of these two super talented guys with the #3 pick.
#2a: Andrew Wiggins
The Low Down: I mean, ain’t it obvious? He’s 6’8″, plays both wing positions with great talent. His athleticism is ridiculous, his shooting is really solid. There are questions about his passion for the game, and criticism about how he didn’t make a big splash in the tourney. I think a lot of that has more to do with maturity level, than anything else.
The fact that he’s active on the glass, grabbing offensive boards and challenging shots, makes me think less of the reports of him “lacking passion”. He’s widely conscidered to have the stuff to be a solid NBA defender at SG and SF right now. This is very very valuable, especially considering his offensive upside. He’s also shown the ability to create good shots for himself, with a good step back jumper and developing floater.
How he fits the Wolves needs: All-world athleticism, Ability to create his own shot, Two way player, Super high ceiling.
Drawbacks: “lack of competitive fire” or consistency of effort, He doesn’t appear to embrace leadership, would take a bit of time to develop offensively, He lacks strength.
As a Twolf: It would be really fun to watch Ricky Rubio throw lobs to Andrew Wiggins. I think their games should go well together. Wiggins has a knack for running the floor and the athleticism to do it extremely well in the NBA. His outside shot is also enough of a threat to keep the floor spaced. I think the biggest factors in why he’d be a great pick, is his ability to create shots for himself and play solid, not gambling, perimeter defense at both wing positions.
If only the Twolves could have moved up in the lottery instead of Cleveland. It would have been fun to watch Kevin Love throw outlet passes to Wiggins … or this guy for that matter …
#2b: Jabari Parker
The Low Dow: Jabari performed fantastically at the beginning of the year. His game is developed. He’s got moves upon moves, absolutely impressive handles for a guy his size. His shooting is developed and consistent and he’s a solid two way player. Despite less that stand out athleticism, Jabari makes up for it in aggressiveness. While he’s not fast or really quick, but he’s sneaky quick. He’s got quick hands and quick feet in bursts. He’s got great length for his SF position which gives him an upside on the boards, and the “fluid athleticism” to help him succeed in the open court.
How he fits the wolves needs: Scoring, Basketball IQ, Great shooter, Floor spacer, Creates his own shot, Two way player
Drawbacks: Lack of versatility in terms of where he can match up, he’s locked to SF, Somewhat slow footed for a NBA SF.
As a Twolf: Jabari Parker would be a very solid pick for anyone. The Twolves could absolutely benefit from his shooting and length, and he’s certainly not an athletic liability as a SF, as he still has the springs to finish over the defender. Even with somewhat of a log jam at SF with Corey Brewer, Chase Budinger and Shabazz Muhammad, the Twolves couldn’t pass on Jabari Parker. In rebuild mode, they could move some pieces in order to let “the chosen one” (I hate that nickname), Mr. Parker see a lot of the court.
Some other scenarios:
In an odd turn of events after a Kevin Love trade to Cleveland, offers are made for the #1 pick outside of the offer that Bill Simmons mentioned. Many teams could covet the skills of Wiggins/Parker/Embiid, therefore a pick in the 4-7 range could (though unlikely) become the property of the Twolves, in conjunction with other compensation (most likely additional picks, either in this draft or future drafts). It’s all on the table here.
This also comes with the territory of other trades involving Kevin Love. These players below could be available with the picks of the Lakers, Celtics, Kings, or just about anybody else, if the Twolves found there deals to be the best.
#4 Julius Randle
The Low Down: Randle brings a huge amount of natural talent and gifts. His range of abilities on a basketball court are impressive for a 6’9″ 250 lbs PF. He’s got surprising quickness and soft touch, especially for a guy of his strength. His strength and athleticism should allow for him to be a good NBA defender immediately, with potential to develop into a defensive force. Offensively he’s a whirling dervish who showed great instincts as a scorer and team player. While this is true, I think his wild style could get him in trouble when facing more crafty and developed NBA defenders. I see a lot of offensive fouls in Julius Randle’s near future.
How he fits the wolves needs: Size, Athleticism, Great potential at PF, Defensive upside, NBA tools, Immediate impact.
Drawbacks: Not extremely polished, Not a born leader. (Seriously knit picking here)
As a Twolf: Julius Randle would be a very good draft choice. I think it goes without saying why he’s up this high on this list. He’s super good. He would fill part of the K-love vacancy as a physical inside player and would become a part of a young core of talent for Coach “Flip or no Flip” to develop. I think his wild style makes him look less polished than he actually is, and I’m not sure if I’ve seen this particularly high level of stregth, quickness, and touch all in one player. Anybody have any comparisons?
#5 Dante Exum
The Low Down: Wow. This guys game is fun to watch. On ability and raw skills alone he may be higher on this list if not for the competition he faced in much of the footage we see of him. Exum has great length, quickness and skills. He shows multiple ways to finish at the rim, true point guard vision, and, I think most importantly, very consistent shooting mechanics. His length, athleticism and potential as a shooter seem to point to him being successful off the ball as well. Albeit, he’s been playing in Australia, he looks like Kobe Bryant version: PG, making him an absolutely baller prospect as a combo guard. His ceiling is absolutely sky high.
How he fits the Wovles needs: length, scoring, play making, and point skills so wolves fans can say good bye to J.J.
Draw backs: Lower level competition, Lacks strength
As a Twolf: While it’s outrageously improbable that he lands with the Twolves, I’m really excited to watch this kid play. Improbable is still possible though, so if odds are defied, I see his role on this team being as a combo guard off the bench. Backing up Ricky with Ricky-esque diming and some solid scoring. I think he could play a J.J.-like role as a scoring guard plus actually having the length to at least compete a little bit on defense. I think he should succeed as a PG right way, and could even break out like Damian Lillard. It appears like he’s got the length, quickness and basketball IQ that just can’t be taught. To me he ends up this hight on the Wolves board, because of his high ceiling. He looks like a star and that can’t be overlooked.
#6 Noah Vonleh
The Low Down: This guy just keeps climbing on draft boards everywhere. He has great athleticism and size for a PF. He’s a former wing player who’s body has expanded to the size and strength of a high potential PF. He even could still be growing. I see Mr. Vonleh as kind of a mini-Embiid. He’s long, athletic, still pretty raw, and immensely talented. Vonleh shows soft touch and physicality, that suggest that he could grow into an absolute deadly pick and roll/pick and pop player. Vonleh’s ceiling is up pretty high. He seems poised to develop into a solid, if not outstanding NBA player.
How he fits the wolves needs: Defense, Size, Athleticism, Active on both sides of the court, Can run the floor, Great Potential.
Drawbacks: Shot selection, Still thinks like a wing, Would take time to develop.
As a wolf: Noah Vonleh would start as a bench player in a role similar to Dante Cunningham’s of late. He would bring energy off the bench. He would take time to develop his skills to the hight of his ceiling but he certainly has enough skills to contribute some right away. Vonleh would be a nice added piece for the Twolves with his length, defensive ability and growing offensive game. I think however that with where he goes in the draft it would be unlikely for the Twolves to have the opportunity to pick him. I’m not sure if his worth, factoring in his potential and his ceiling, make him worth selecting as the top guy of their draft, or as direct and sizable Kevin Love compensation.
#7 Zach LaVine
The Low Down: This guy has great potential. He has great length for a combo guard and super high level measurables. He’s very fast, pretty quick and has great springs. This, combined with his PG back round makes him a very interesting player. His shooting ability puts him solidly SG category as well. Many people make Westbrook comparisons when talking about Zach LaVine. I think he’s more fluid and less explosive than Westbrook and not quite as good on the ball. I think his shooting form looks better than Westbrook, and his potential as an off-ball player is a little bit more versatile. Let’s be clear, the Westbrook comparison is in pace and style only. I don’t expect Zach LaVine to come in and drop 40 points in a playoff game or anything. That being said, I still think he’s one of the gems of this draft.
How he fits the wolves needs: Athleticism, PG skills, Shooting, Slashing, Length.
Drawbacks: Strength, Lacks development, Hasn’t seen lots of playing time, Might have come out too soon.
As a wolf: Zach LaVine would be a Combo Guard off the bench. His speed, length, shooting and athleticism would be great as a pairing with Rubio. There could be some lob passes thrown his way and he gets out on the break well. To me he compares to Dante Exum in his potential role, except drifting closer to the SG position. I see LaVines PG abilities to be an added bonus because he’s showing all the skills of a great wing player. I think he could back up Rubio and facilitate somethings with the second unit and, again like I said about Exum, be the kind of scoring option at PG that J.J. Barea was, but with greater efficiency and greater … well, size. In rebuild mode, LaVine’s high ceiling would be too good to pass up. That’s why I place him up so high.
#8 Gary Harris
The Low Down: Gary Harris is a very solid SG. He’s got shooting ability, great leadership potential and a well rounded game. His quickness is great on defense and on offense, and he shows great ability create his own shot. Gary plays aggressive but disciplined defense, and despite his somewhat small stature, I think he can be a very effective defensive SG in the NBA. His game is quite developed so his ceiling does not appear to be quite as high as some of these other guys. I think he’s a great pick for an two way SG. He’s got a high motor and works super hard to get himself good looks. Because of his high motor and developed game, however, the hight of his ceiling as a pro hangs a little lower than some other prospects.
How he fits the wolves needs: Scoring, Disciplined wing defense, Ability to get his own shot, a developed player
Drawbacks: Not the highest ceiling, Lacks PG skills (handling, distributing), Does not have All-World level athleticism,
As a wolf: Gary Harris would be a good pick up. His name has been floating around for quite a while now within Wolves Nation. After his stand out Freshman season with the Spartans, his draft stock was high. In my mind he’s still every bit as good of a prospect for NBA teams and would provide whoever does draft him with solid immediate production. For the Wolves, Gary Harris would be a solid back up SG. I think this role would fit his game very well. He could bring energy on both sides of the court and use his innate ability to “get buckets” on the offensive end for a Twolves bench unit that his desperately in need of both of those skills.
#9 Nik Stauskas
The Low Down: This guy looked really good to me last year. He looked like he had a unique combination of shooting ability and athleticism. Then this year, his athleticism was questioned. Especially his lateral quickness. At the combine this year, Nik Stauskas helped his cause by performing quite well in the lateral quickness and agility drills. He also has sneaky springs. With his shooting ability and the reassurance from his combine numbers that he’s not totally slow footed, I see him as a great pick at this point in the draft. There are skills that can really be measured and then their are skills that simply have to be judged by observation only. It seems to me Stauskas has these kinds of skills, namely the ability to quicken a release, and use the most of the quickness that he does have.
How he fits the wolves needs: Great spot up shooting, Great shooting in traffic, Smart offensive play.
Drawbacks: There are doubts that he can stay in front of lightning fast NBA SGs, Can he still shoot well over NBA length.
As a wolf: Nik Stauskas could get every opportunity to be what Shved hasn’t become. They are similar players in the way that they are skinny wing players with peculiar athleticism. Stauskas’ shooting ability, and more specifically the consistency of his release and his ability to hit jump shots in traffic, make his value rise. He’s not my favorite draft pick because of his potential defensive issues, but they could be less consequential of the Twolves were to build a front court that could compensate with solid ability to defend the rim. The need for the wolves have for scoring off the bench, make Stauskas a very very solid pick for the Twolves.
That trade down scenario part 2:
If the Twolves manage to swing a deal for the #1 pick such as Simmons suggested might be possible, some of the following, and players formerly mentioned, may be available with that second pick (especially because some of these guys are probably higher on some other teams big boards). There’s also the additional possibility of trading up with the #13 pick and this potential #10ish pick received from trading down from #1 and selecting some of the guys mentioned up higher on this list.
#10 Marcus Smart
The Low Down: This guy is interesting. Last year he had very high draft stock, but this year after staying at OSU, he didn’t really add all that much to his freshman campaign, except for further character questions. While it didn’t seem like he added very much to his game this past season, there is still a lot to like. Marcus has all of the size and ability a team would want in a PG, and would be a solid pick for many teams up as high as number five. He has undeniable ability and NBA skills that would allow him to be productive right away. I think he at least has the scoring ability, size and defensive ability to swing over to SG a little bit as well, in certain situations.
How he fits the wolves needs: Bench scoring, Solid PG play on both sides of the court.
Drawbacks: Not a great shooter (weird shooting form), character/maturity issues.
As a Twolf: Marcus Smart would be a great back up point guard. It seems however that his skill and skill level are more suited for immediate starting. I don’t know where he would be able to do this, but the talent is there. It’d be tough for Marcus to be in Minnesota. I think the only situation in which Marcus would be a great fit Minnesota would be if the wolves somehow moved Rubio and/or Barea. I think Marcus would be a great replacement for Barea’s production as a scorer, and like just about any other point guard, would add size and defensive ability to the wolves second unit.
#11 James Young
The Low Down: James Young showed me a lot in the tourney. Other than wacky hair, he showed great ability to be a shot maker. His athleticism has been down played, but we all saw that poster dunk he threw down during the tourney. I see James Young as a very solid wing option in this draft, who has a well rounded game. He simply always seems ready and in the right place. It was an odd offense that Kentucky ran this last year, with all of their size, but I was continually impressed with how James Young continued to stand out among that group, especially in the tourney. His upside isn’t sky high because his skill level is pretty developed. He’s kind of like a smaller Jabari Parker.
How he fits the wolves needs: Shooting, All around play on the wing.
Drawbacks: Locked into the SF position, Not great size for a SF, Doesn’t have a very quick first step.
As a Twolf: James young would fill the role of solid SF off the bench. I think this again is an unlikely pick due to the crowd at that position. I think he would be a good guy for the wolves to have there, if they moved Chase Budinger along with love. Mr. Young is a really great player, but I think he’s a guy who plays better when he’s trusted with more. He shows a little bit of the mentality of a leader, which is something the Twolves need. And he has funky hair, which is always a plus.
#12 Dario Saric
The Low Down: This dude is goofy. We saw highlights that made him look like the kind of youtube legend that Ricky Rubio was. Playing in the Adriatic League his skills are absolutely unmatched. He’s got ridiculous ball skill for a guy his side, really great passing instincts. His outside shot is decent and his rebounding projects to be pretty good. His skills allow him to play as a wing in europe, but considering he lacks in any form of NBA quickness at that position, he doesn’t look like he’ll be able to keep up. I fear that he’s even somewhat slow footed for a NBA PF, especially since he doesn’t display the same kind of length that most 6’10” players in the NBA possess (his wingspan only reaches 6’10”). Unless he shows surprising lateral quickness or displays a different kind of vertical athleticism, he’ll have to play the odd role of Point PF. Nonetheless, he’s immensely talented and could thrive in the right situation
How he fits the wolves needs: Offensive skill, Play making, Potential as a shot maker and high post option.
As a Twolf: He’d be fun to see. I’ve always liked the idea of a big guy who can pass and thought, in the months prior to last years draft, when Saric was waffling whether or not to declare himself eligible, that (two decades ago) Rick Adelman would have just loved seeing a big with this skill set. He could really develop fit the mold of the Adelmanian high post scorer/passer, like Brad Miller or Vlade Divac. Although that is not really pertinent information for the Wolves right now, Dario Saric would still provide Timberwolves Coach “Flip or no Flip” with a extremely talented and unique player to develop.
#13 Doug McDermott
The Low Down: This dude can shoot. His ability in College was fascinating. Creighton was loaded with shooters, floor spacers and through all of that, Mr. Doug still manage to score buckets after buckets after buckets. There’s not reason for me to believe that Doug McDermott will not be a great shooter at the NBA level. There are question marks with his size and lack of athleticism where he can succeed in the NBA. There are hints that he could be an effective rebounder, maybe kind of like a guy like Draymond Green in that way. While he’ll hit open jumper after open jumper, I think NBA defenders will really make it difficult for Doug to get open, and even when he is, challenge his release with greater length and athleticism than he faced at Creighton. I also don’t see him being very effective as a post player in the NBA due to his lack of size and length. I think his ceiling is somewhere around Kyle Korver: version SF/PF.
How he fits the wolves needs: Shooting, Shooting and more Shooting
As a wolf: Doug McDermott would be Hummel 2.0 for the wolves. He is a better shooter than Hummel showed he is last year, but the comparison still counts. Guys like Robbie Hummel and Doug McDermott have to capitalize off of hustle, will and execution. If McDermott can do that, he could find a role for any NBA team. His shooting is just too good to not be at least somewhat valuable.
#14 Aaron Gordon
The Low Down: Aaron Gordon is an athletic freak of nature. His combine numbers were faster and springier than most guards. He’s a peculiar player because he’s not really great at anything except for being freakishly athletic. I don’t get the feeling he uses that athleticism enough to be a plus level perimeter defender. I don’t get the feeling he’s adept at blocking shots. What I do see is that he should, according to his combine numbers and what I’ve seen of his play, be able to split sometime as a SF and a PF in the NBA. The problem is, he’s not a shooter. He’d have to develop his ability as a slasher or develop a more refined post game if he wanted to really be an NBA difference maker. While Aaron Gordon might become like a mini Blake Griffen, I fear he could be a (gasp) less talented Derrick Williams. The last thing, is probably way to harsh. The “it” factor with Gordon’s game is there. He has the intangibles to do some work with out a lot of refined skill.
How he fits the wolves needs: Athleticism, potential at PF.
Drawbacks: He’s not a great shooter, Looks like a possible tweener.
As a Twolf: Aaron Gordon would be an energy guy off the bench. He’d be a PF primarily because the Wolves can’t have a non shooter clogging up the floor as a SF, unless they have developed slashing technique like Corey Brewer can sometimes provide. If this is the Wolves second or third pick of the draft, I’d be pretty satisfied, but I don’t think in the Wolves current “re-model” or “rebuild” mode, we’d see them jockey for position to draft Aaron Gordon.
#15 Rodney Hood
The Low Down: Rodney Hood can shoot. He’s got that going for him. He can hit the open shots and put the ball in the basket from a lot of different places on the court. Problem is, this, combined with a little bit of dribble drive passing skill is pretty much the extent of his game. I don’t see the drive in this guy. He seems to be happy deferring to someone else. I think he projects as a solid NBA SF despite his thin and not-especially long frame and could swing over to SG occasionally due to decent foot speed, and a suitable match up.
How he fits the wolves needs: Shooting, Smart wing play.
Drawbacks: Strength, consistency, lack of versatility in match ups.
As a Twolf: Rodney Hood would be a shooter off the bench. The Wolves would send him in to look like Corey Brewer, they would encourage him to play like Corey, and hope he shoots like Rodney Hood. This wouldn’t be a bad pick, but it just doesn’t fit very well.
Sleepers:
I’ve written too many words as it is, so I will go brief on my thoughts about some sleepers. Two obvious names are Adreian Payne and Shabazz Napier (how weird and fun would it be to have two guys named Shabazz on he same team). Adreian Payne brings polish at PF, shooting and rebounding ability, but really, nothing else. Shabazz Napier would be another J.J. replacement, who happens to have great leadership abilities. He would be a great guy to have running the second unit, with his effort on both ends and his shooting ability. Both of these players have mature games that have developed. They do not have very much potential for further growth as players, but as any professional they will continue to improve gradually well into their thirties. Two other easy names to think about are Glenn Robinson III and Cleanthony Early. Both of these players have great athletic ability, matched up with solid shooting touch. With some more good coaching I think both of these guys could develop into very solid two way SFs.
Other later pick known commodities include: the ultra-quick and competive PG Russ Smith, the uber-athlectic SG Markel Brown, K.J. McDaniels, a great defensive SF, DeAndre Daniels, a skinny-athletic SF and national champion, injured Michigan C Mitch McGary (who should absolutely stay and play in college for another year), as well as international prospect Clint Capella, a defensive minded PF/C with soft touch.
Finally in the realm of deeper sleepers, I’ll mention three more names with brief comments:
Spencer Dinwiddle: This 6’6″ combo guard out of Colorado shows similar natural abilities to Dante Exum and Zach LaVine. While he wasn’t able to lead Colorado very far during his college career, he is a player that I think could really help out an NBA team as a back up PG/SG
Thanasis Antetokounmpo: Older brother of Giannis who was drafted last year by the Bucks, shows similar skills to his little bro. Though standing a hair taller than 6’6″, Thanasis has good ball skills for a SF/SG and has great defensive instincts.
Rasmus Larsen: This well built and athletic young Center from Denmark would be a good “Euro-stash” as they are called. He appears like he could really project into a quality NBA style big man. And why would we not want a guy named Rasmus Larsen to play for Minnesota, it just make too much sense.
Final Comments:
This draft will certainly be interesting, especially if the Wolves do move Kevin Love before the draft like they should. If they do so many possibilities exist. Thankfully, this appears to be a significantly deep draft. Anyway, the days are counting down. Soon the draft will be here, and we’ll see who the Wolves pick, and celebrate or commiserate together. I’ll put together another thing about potential scenarios closer to the draft, or after a K-love deal gets made … or maybe when coach “Flip or No Flip” get’s hired.
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