Minnesota Timberwolves Roundup: What does Celtics-76ers swap mean?
By Ben Beecken
With the news that the Boston Celtics have agreed to trade the #1-overall draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers, what does that mean for the Timberwolves’ attempts to trade the seventh pick?
TNT’s David Aldridge reported on Saturday that the Philadelphia 76ers, owners of the third-overall selection in this Thursday’s draft, had agreed to swap picks with the Boston Celtics, who currently hold the first-overall pick.
According to Aldridge, the price to complete the deal will be at least one future first-round pick, although the exact year, plus protections and such, have yet to be ironed out. The trade is expected to be finalized on Monday.
So, how does this affect the Timberwolves? It may not, of course, but it’s fairly common knowledge that Tom Thibodeau has preferred to move the #7 pick as opposed to selecting yet another rookie to join his already painfully young core. To this point, however, there haven’t been any credible rumors surrounding what Minnesota might get in return in any trade surrounding the draft pick, so Wolves fans simply don’t know what they could expect.
Of course, the #1 pick in a draft with a clear top player is worth a lot more than the #7, and it appears as though Boston will receive yet another high lottery pick in return, albeit in a future draft. The Timberwolves would be searching for something that can help them win now — ideally, a veteran player currently on an NBA roster.
But the encouraging thing about this move is that there’s been some movement. Most years, lottery picks are dangled but never moved. Perhaps this will signal more of a willingness from other teams around the league to make a move for a high draft selection.
Our friends over at Canis Hoopus discussed possible trade options for the #7, debating whether swapping it straight-up for a player, straight-up for a pick, or for a pick plus a veteran player is the best play. Ultimately, the only suggestion given was moving the pick to the Denver Nuggets for Wilson Chandler and Denver’s #13 selection of this week’s draft — exactly what DWW co-expert Brian Sampson and yours truly discussed just over a week ago on the Dunking With Wolves podcast.
Next: What Does History Tell Us About The Wolves' #7 Draft Pick?
At any rate, we’ll pass along any tangible rumors regarding Thursday’s draft as they surface. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and Happy Father’s Day!