In the first part of the Timberwolves Draft Profile Series, we take a look at Kentucky guard Jamal Murray and how he fits with the Wolves’ current roster.
Given the current talented but admittedly flawed roster, Timberwolves’ greatest needs are outside shooting and depth in the back court and on the wing. It could be argued that drafting Murray might make a swift, positive impact in both areas in one fell swoop.
Murray is probably about 6′-4″, given the wide range of height measurements available online. He will certainly be best-utilized as a shooting guard, at least early in his NBA career, and his 40.8 percent long-range shooting mark as a freshman with Kentucky justifies such a positional assignment.
He can handle the ball, however, and there are certainly some NBA teams that may view him as a scoring point guard. The biggest issues early on for Murray will surely be turnovers and handling the speed of the professional game — in some ways not too dissimilar from the struggles that the current Wolves starting shooting guard, Zach LaVine, encountered when he was forced to play the ‘one’ as a rookie out of UCLA.
In fact, Murray averaged more turnovers per game than assists at Kentucky, so it’s difficult to see how he might offer a positive impact at point guard in the NBA from Day One.
Additionally, he isn’t an outstanding athlete — the most obvious difference between Murray and LaVine. That could be okay if he’s used primarily as a spot-up shooter on offense and is able to use his aggressiveness to draw fouls, but it could be of concern on defense, and especially with new coach Tom Thibodeau.
Murray doesn’t have the size or athleticism to guard the majority of NBA two-guards, and would probably find himself guarding point guards whenever possible. Playing him alongside, say, Ricky Rubio would work, and LaVine’s length and athleticism could likewise cover up for Murray’s shortcomings if the rookie was to run the point, although Zach has yet to become an above-average NBA defender.
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He would not be playable at the ‘two’ alongside the likes of the diminutive Tyus Jones, of course, but he could be used at both guard spots as a spark plug off the bench.
On the plus side, the outside shooting ability and aggressiveness (despite the relative lack of athleticism) could make him a potent scorer from the very start of his professional career. He has impressive instincts and adding another high-I.Q. player to the likes of Rubio and Karl-Anthony Towns would certainly be a positive thing.
It would also add another willing and able passer to a team that already boasts a number of above-average passers for their respective positions in Rubio, Towns, and Gorgui Dieng.
From the start of the season, Murray would likely be the top backup to LaVine at shooting guard and play some point guard off the bench behind Rubio, alongside either LaVine or Andrew Wiggins at the two-spot. He’d provide the scoring punch and shooting ability that the Timberwolves’ second unit so often lacked in 2015-16, when only the good version of Shabazz Muhammad could be counted on every so often to help boost the Wolves to victory.
Murray would be a solid selection for Minnesota at #5, in my opinion. I have a feeling, however, that Thibodeau and general manager Scott Layden may have a different opinion. Thibs seems to value abnormal length and above-average athleticism out of his guards and wings, and Murray does not possess either of those traits.
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But keep the name Jamal Murray in mind. He will almost surely end up as a top-eight selection with some mock drafts predicting him to be picked as high as third to Boston. Wherever he winds up, he should be a solid NBA contributor from Day One.