Wolves No.1 Pick = Evan Turner?
By Editorial Staff
With the NBA Draft Lottery only hours away, NBA fan’s hopes and dreams are hanging on lucky charms, percentages and envelopes. After a questionable draft last year, I get this tweet from ESPN’s Chad Ford about the rumors surrounding the Wolves and their feelings on a potential No.1 pick. This very interesting and terrifying. And I am 100% scared of this actually happening.
Here is what Ford wrote.
"Is it just me or are the Timberwolves the only team in the group that could theoretically screw this up — even if they get the No. 1 pick? Last year the team took three point guards in the first round (it traded one of them, Ty Lawson, on draft night). GM David Kahn is infatuated with Ricky Rubio and may not want to scare him off any more than he already has by drafting John Wall.In fact, I heard over the weekend from a source inside Evan Turner‘s camp that the Wolves have sent signals to Turner that he, not Wall, would be their pick if they win the lottery. I’m a big Rubio fan, but if the Wolves get the No. 1 pick, they should trade Jonny Flynn if they can get a good offer for him. If not, they should keep Flynn and deal the rights to Wall for something of equal value. There’s no guarantee when or if Rubio will ever play for them."
Even though I wrote the Wolves should trade down if they get the No. 1 pick, I have to admit that I am moving away from that statement. If the Wolves land the No.1 pick, I would rather have John Wall than Evan Turner.
Here is why:
- Butts in seats. Evan Turner may end-up being a very good pro, many people compare him to Brandon Roy, but John Wall has the hype and game that will draw people to the Target Center.
- Wall is a freak athlete and Turner is a better basketball – at this point. Wall is an amazing athlete. We all know what he can do in the open court, but he can struggle in the half-court game. He will learn how to run an offense in the NBA – Turner cannot learn athleticism.
- Wall is better than Rubio, I am not sure I can say the same for Turner.
- Injuries. Modern medicine has saved many NBA careers and I do not buy into avoiding players who have had a major injury. We have seen many players recover to be very good players – Brandon Roy, Kenyon Martin, and DeJuan Blair – with Wall, you don’t even have to consider it. With Turner, you will also be concerned about his back.
- Wall starts from day one. I am a Jonny Flynn fan. I watched him a lot at Syracuse and I love his heart and grit. But Wall would be the starter from day one and would make teammates better. Turner will probably make teammates better, but will he start?
- Turner is very good, but according to Chad Fords Top 100 Prospects, there are other swing-man who the Wolves could get with their later picks (No. 16th and 23rd) in the draft and be a great fit as well: Gordon Haywood (11th overall prospect), Luke Babbitt (17th),and Xavier Henry (20th). There is only one John Wall.
If the Wolves should end-up with the first overall pick in the draft, please pick Wall. I understand you may think Rubio is coming, but we don’t know that for sure. Turner is legit as the second pick, but not the No.1 overall.
Side-Note: How does Chad Ford have Haywood at 11 and Henry has dropped to 20? Once the lottery is done, I will take a closer look at the top prospects and the best options for the Wolves.
Only a few more hours until the lottery on ESPN at 8pm Eastern.