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5 reasons the Minnesota Timberwolves should trade down in the draft

By Brian Sampson

Jan 6, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau yells from the bench against the Washington Wizards in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 112-105. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau yells from the bench against the Washington Wizards in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 112-105. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 18, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) reacts during the second half against the Xavier Musketeers in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) reacts during the second half against the Xavier Musketeers in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Need an immediate contributor

One of the downfalls about picking at number seven is that the vast majority of the players the Minnesota Timberwolves will seriously consider won’t be ready to contribute in year one.

I previously wrote about the average production for the seventh overall pick. In my research I found that even the greatest seventh picks of all time weren’t ready to be major contributors in year one.

I expect that trend to continue in this draft.

Jonathan Isaac, the apparent overwhelming favorite to be selected by Minnesota, is very raw offensively. He will likely average under 10 points per game during his rookie season. While he may be able to make an impact defensively, it probably won’t be great enough to overcome his offensive shortcomings.

Lauri Markkanen, another name that has been linked to the Wolves, is a great outside shooter who may be able to knock down a 3-pointer or two a game. Other than that though, the 20-year-old has a lot of work to do in regards to improving as a rebounder and a defender. He will definitely be targeted by opposing teams no matter who he is guarding.

Malik Monk, the freshman out of Kentucky, has an outside chance of getting drafted by the Wolves. He is perhaps the most NBA ready player out of these three but that doesn’t mean he will be able to have an immediate impact. Monk’s offensive ability is undeniable but his size presents serious limitations to his overall game. He may be able to develop the necessary ball-handling skills to play point guard down the line, but that is still years away.

Monk’s offensive ability is undeniable but his size presents serious limitations to his overall game. He may be able to develop the necessary ball-handling skills to play point guard down the line, but that is still years away.

If the Minnesota Timberwolves do trade down in the draft they should be able to pick up a veteran who can have a positive impact on the team during the 2017-18 season.