Some Wolves fans have started an online petition to get the team’s front office to select O.J. Mayo in next month’s draft.
From Chad Ford/ESPN:
If the team drafts for need, Lopez will be the guy. The Wolves really need another big to help out Al Jefferson in the post, and Lopez should be a good fit.
But don’t count out Danilo Gallinari, who could be the surprise pick here. The team also needs a small forward like Gallinari who can be a facilitator in the offense. His basketball IQ could make him an immediate contributor.
Minnesota essentially has the first pick of the rest of the draft. The Timberwolves will take a long look at the guard options here with Bayless and Mayo, but with Randy Foye already on board, look for them to go the safe route and add size with Lopez at 3. Lopez is the most NBA ready center in the draft and should be a solid piece in their rebuilding process.
Things can quickly change in the next month before the June draft, but as of today Mayo and Lopez have to be the leaders in the clubhouse to be chosen number three by the Wolves. Either player mixed in with Jefferson, Foye and Brewer give the Wolves a solid nucleus to grow with.
It seems to me that Minnesota is going to take a legitimate center as in Stanford’s Brook Lopez because they have a point guard/combo guard in Randy Foye, a solid small forward in Corey Brewer and potential All-Star Al Jefferson, who could move to forward forward.
The Timberwolves could use a bona fide point guard but it’s unlikely they would take D.J. Augustin of Texas so high, so I am thinking Lopez.
The GM at pick No. 3 will likely be choosing between Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless or USC’s O.J. Mayo.
Both are coming off stellar freshman seasons in the Pac-10. Both can be destructive forces on the offensive end of the floor. Both have their share of red flags that might keep them from reaching their full potential.
However, if a general manager values his job, he’ll pick Mayo.
Mike DeCourcy/Sporting News has the Wolves taking Jerryd Bayless in his mock draft:
Although he never was entirely comfortable as a college point because of turnover issues, he is a willing passer and has superior quickness and leaping ability to his rival for a high draft position, O.J. Mayo. Bayless also might be a better shooter. The trick will be learning to play consistently on the ball, which he should be able to manage.
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