The Minnesota Timberwolves own the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2018 first round draft pick. Who are some players we should be keeping an eye on?
This may seem a bit premature, as the 2018 NBA Draft is still months away, however, it will be here before you know it. And since the Minnesota Timberwolves’ scouts have already begun planning their pick we might as well try too.
Minnesota doesn’t hold their own draft pick this year, as that belongs to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the trade for Adreian Payne. Fortunately, they acquired the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Ricky Rubio.
Regardless of where the pick lands (it would be the 13th overall pick as of Nov. 20), it is likely to turn out to be a huge asset for Tom Thibodeau. With Andrew Wiggins‘ max extension set to kick in next season and Karl-Anthony Towns likely to sign one for the season after, Minnesota will be scrambling to fill the rest of their roster with cheap talent. And a draft pick is one of the most efficient contracts in the league.
Of course, a lot will change over the course of the college basketball season so expect to see these players moving up and down draft boards. Heck, the guys on this list could end up going near the top of the first round, undrafted, or somewhere in between.
For now, though, and with the information available, here are five players who the Timberwolves might select with their pick in the upcoming draft.