With the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Justin Patton.
Originally, the Minnesota Timberwolves had plans of making their selection at number seven but a draft night trade changed this.
The Timberwolves acquired Jimmy Butler and the rights to the 16th overall pick in exchange for Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and the seventh overall pick.
Now the lingering question is did the Timberwolves make the right choice at 16?
Yes.
Now that the Wolves have acquired Butler, the need for a defender on the wing is no longer present.
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The acquisition of Butler also solidifies the Wolves starting lineup which means the best thing to do now is build onto the bench. To build on the bench you’ve got to choose best available and that’s what was done.
While Patton wasn’t a need for the Timberwolves, at 16 he was the best choice they could have made.
Patton adds much-needed depth to the front court of Minnesota. While the Wolves recently lost Nikola Pekovic, the addition of Patton brings optimism of having a big off the bench who has the ability to produce.
Patton is a versatile player for his size. He grew from 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-9 between his freshman and sophomore year of high school. Due to, this you can see Patton, at 7 feet now, still has retained some of the skills he had when he was a guard.
This makes Patton’s overall ceiling very high because not only does he have size, but he also has a unique skill set. He is a great finisher at the rim and will excel in the pick and roll game with Ricky Rubio. Not only does he play offense but he also plays defense as well.
Patton has all the tools to be successful in the NBA. It’ll be interesting to see how he develops as time goes on.
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As for now, it seems that Minnesota made the right choice.