5 reasons the Minnesota Timberwolves should trade down in the draft
1. Multiple holes to fill
The most important reason the Minnesota Timberwolves should trade down in the 2017 NBA Draft is that they have a bunch of weaknesses they need to shore up.
Drafting a player at the seventh spot should help address one of their holes, but they won’t find a player who can address more than one. By trading down they will be able to pick up a player who can fill one void and draft a player who can address another.
They can then use the remaining salary cap space to continue addressing their needs.
If the Timberwolves want to end their 13 year playoff drought, they will address each of the following areas in at least one way.
The Timberwolves most obvious need is on the defensive end of the floor. Minnesota has counted on their younger players to take the next step defensively but that hasn’t happened yet. There is still plenty of time that players like Wiggins and Towns can become staples on the defensive side of the ball.
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However, they will need help in the form of perimeter and interior defense. Minnesota can benefit from surrounding their star offensive players with defensive studs. This will help hide their current weaknesses on defense as well as give them the opportunity to learn from players who have made a living in the league on defense.
Interior defense is another area the Timberwolves need help in. Minnesota doesn’t have a feared shot blocker that deters guards from driving to the lane. This is important because shot blockers affect goes farther than their blocked shots in the box score. They can also alter shots and dissuade players from driving to the rim altogether.
The other glaring need for the Minnesota Timberwolves is their outside shooting. They were one of the worst teams in the league last season and need that space to help Wiggins and Towns operate cleanly.
By surrounding those two players with outside shooting, it will allow them more freedom to work in the mid-range and paint area. If defenders do decide to help, the shooters will be able to knock down open shots and make their opponents pay.
The last need the Timberwolves have is for players with experience, especially playoff experience. Until LaVine got hurt, Minnesota didn’t start a player older than 28 years old. The oldest players on their roster, Nikola Pekovic, and Brandon Rush, were only 31.
This was a stark change from the previous season when Minnesota had players such as Kevin Garnett, Andre Miller, and Tayshaun Prince.
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Minnesota has a long way to go in order to end their historic playoff drought. If they want to become a playoff contender on the court, and not just on paper, they will maximize their assets and trade down in this year’s draft.