Justin Patton: The good, the bad and the ugly

The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Justin Patton with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, the season ahead remains a mystery.

Justin Patton is somewhat of an afterthought in Minnesota. He was acquired as part of the trade for Jimmy Butler, but most people toss him to the side. Part of that has to do with the foot injury he suffered this summer (more on that later), but also because of the increased attention on veterans and immediate contributions.

After redshirting his first year at Creighton, the 6-foot-11 center came back with a vengeance in 2016-17. He dropped 12.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season. His scoring increased slightly during conference play, where he averaged 13.5 points.

Patton displayed a budding outside game and projects to be a floor-stretching big man throughout his career. He only attempted 15 3’s last year, but knocked down eight of them.

His defense was also above- average, as he ranked fourth in the Big East in blocks and recorded 1.0 steals per game.

It may take a while for his overall game to develop, but if the Timberwolves can stay patient with him, they might see huge dividends down the road. The Ringer‘s pre-draft scouting report had this to say about Patton:

"A high-upside two-way big man who will require patience at the next level, but his raw athletic talent could make him worth the wait."

They also compared him to players such as Karl-Anthony Towns (lite version), Theo Ratliff and Samuel Dalembert. That gives you a glimpse of how special he can be if everything pans out.

For now, let’s focus on the good, the bad and the ugly surrounding the big man out of the University of Creighton.