The 2018 NBA Draft is less than a month away, and it’s time to start taking a look at what the mock drafts around the web are saying about whom the Minnesota Timberwolves might select come June 21.
There’s still plenty of time before the 2018 NBA Draft becomes a reality, and there are admittedly lots of things that can change when it comes to what the Timberwolves might decide to do. But we’re within adequate range of examining what some of the experts are predicting, so let’s do just that.
Unfortunately, the fantastic DraftExpress.com no longer exists as its previous self, having been bought-out by ESPN. They were consistently the most reliable when it came to information and draft predictions, and while ESPN now has the great Jonathan Givony, there’s just less content than he would have pumped out at DX.
But, we’ll start with Givony and ESPN and go through a few of the other draft sites out there to find out who everyone is picking the Timberwolves to draft with the 20th overall pick.
Jonathan Givony (ESPN): Dzanan Musa, F, Cedevita (link)
Givony has the Wolves taking Bosnian Dzanan Musa, a 19-year-old, 6″-9″ forward playing in Europe. He’s an exciting offensive player with the ability to shoot, handle the ball, and get to the basket. There are real questions surrounding his length and defensive ability, but the offensive talent appears to be real.
Musa would fit the Wolves roster — especially if restricted free agent Nemanja Bjelica is not back in a Timberwolves uniform this fall.
Gary Parrish (CBS Sports): Donte DiVincenzo, SG, Villanova (link)
Donte DiVincenzo just finished his junior season at Villanova. After being named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player (the Timberwolves already have one of those on the roster in Duke’s Tyus Jones), DiVincenzo entered the NBA Draft but didn’t fully commit to staying in.
According to Parrish, a strong showing at the NBA Combine appears to have convinced DiVincenzo to nix the idea of returning to Villanova.
He’s a well-rounded guard who shot 40.1 percent from beyond the arc during his junior season and stepped up big when it mattered most in the NCAA Tournament. He’s big enough to play at the NBA level and athletic enough to be a solid defender. Again, the Wolves have a clear need at the wings, and DiVincenzo could slot in well as a backup shooting guard.
NBADraft.net: Lonnie Walker IV, SG, Miami (FL) (link)
Walker was largely an underachiever as a freshman at Miami, but has enough raw talent for someone to take a flyer on him in the first round of the draft. And quite possibly, his name could be called much earlier; Givony’s mock draft has him going at No. 13.
If he slipped to No. 20, it would be tough to pass on Walker’s ceiling. He shot just 41.5 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from beyond the arc with the Hurricanes, but the athletic ability is undeniable.
Multiple Writers, Basketball Insiders: Multiple Players (link)
There were four writers who turned in a card for each selection of the first round in the BasketballInsiders.com mock draft. Two picked the same player for the Wolves.
Troy Brown, SG, Oregon: Brown isn’t even 19 years old yet, but is 6′-7″ and athletic with the ability to step in and be effective defensively from Day One. He averaged 1.6 steals per game as a freshman at Oregon, and while he struggled to shoot the ball, there are similarities to the type of player that Tom Thibodeau has shown an interest in before, such as the college prospect versions of Jimmy Butler and Marcus Georges-Hunt. (Yes, those guys were much older, but the profile is otherwise quite similar.)
Anfernee Simmons, SG, IMG Academy: Simmons is also still 18 years old, and wouldn’t be able to contribute much, if at all, as a rookie. He spent an extra year at IMG and did not play college ball or overseas, and it is tough to see Thibodeau and Scott Layden taking a chance on a player like this when they’re obviously in win-now mode.
Zhaire Smith, G/F, Texas Tech: Smith is big and athletic, and similar to Brown, could step in and contribute defensively immediately. There is ground to be made up on offense, but as a short-minute, spot-defender, Smith could provide some value.
Again, it’s far too early to have any real direction on what the Wolves are going to do on the night of the draft. Two years ago, Thibodeau and Co. refrained from making any big splashes and selected Kris Dunn fifth-overall. Last year, the big Jimmy Butler trade went down, and the Wolves received the 13th pick back and selected Creighton’s Justin Patton.
Next: 5 offseason trade ideas for the Timberwolves
Will the Timberwolves have something big in store for the 2018 draft? Layden mentioned after the season that the Wolves would be open to moving the pick to improving the roster, and it sure sounded as though that would be their preference. We’ll see.