Dunking With Wolves
Fansided

Minnesota Timberwolves: Winning the lottery can fix the Wolves

By Jaime Tyler

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Sep 28, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Chris Kaman (35) poses during media day at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Chris Kaman (35) poses during media day at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Is that thing loaded?

“So what, Jaime?” some of you may be saying. “This draft is different. It’s loaded!”

True, this draft is loaded.

Yet, so were these: 1996, 1984 (non-lottery draft), 2003, 1985 and 1998. According to NBA.com, those are the top five draft classes of all-time, 2017 class pending.

Here are the first and sixth selections in those drafts:

  1. 1996: Allen Iverson (1), Antoine Walker (6)
  2. 1984: Hakeem Olajuwon (1), Melvin Turpin (6)
  3. 2003: LeBron James (1), Chris Kaman (6)
  4. 1985: Patrick Ewing (1), Joe Kleine (6)
  5. 1998: Michael Olowokandi (1), Robert ‘Tractor’ Traylor (6)

Even in a loaded draft, the number one pick is generally an All-Star, All-NBA player, or potential Hall of Fame talent. Of course, there’s always room for the occasional Candy Man bust.

Whereas the sixth pick might turn out to be Robert Traylor and his career 4.8 points per game or that household name, Joe Kleine.

Buyer beware, Wolves’ fans. Lengthy Jonathan Isaac and sharp-shooting Malik Monk may look like the answer to your basketball prayers today, but a generation from now you might look back and think…Melvin Turpin?

Are they fixed yet?

Clearly, there is a huge gap between the first and sixth pick in NBA draft history.

What we’re concerned about today is whether or not that top pick can fix the Wolves.

Right now, Fultz — the consensus number one — looks like he would go a long way towards doing just that.

He, certainly, would get the Wolves on the contention track much sooner than, say, a Jonathan Isaac.

First, if Fultz plays up to his potential, that would give the Wolves anywhere from one to four All-Star caliber players among their youthful core.

Second, if Fultz can start immediately, that would allow Thibodeau a bit more leeway in the trade market: Thus, Ricky Rubio, Kris Dunn, and Tyus Jones could all be shown the door. Such transactions would enable Thibodeau to fill any holes he didn’t in the free agent market.

Finally, if Fultz is not the guy the Timberwolves’ brain trust feels meshes with the current club, he can always be moved for a hefty bounty.

If a trade is what Thibodeau desires, such a move would go a long way toward fixing the current team.