Minnesota Timberwolves Draft Prospect: Dzanan Musa

Bosnian forward Dzanan Musa could be an option for the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 20th pick in the NBA Draft on June 21.

Our recent summary of NBA mock drafts from around the internet included Jonathan Givony’s (formerly of Draft Express and currently of ESPN) pick of Dzanan Musa as the Timberwolves selection with the No. 20 pick in the upcoming draft.

Musa is a 6′-9″ forward from Bosnia who is currently playing in the Euroleague. As mentioned in the summary piece, Musa is an offensively talented player with some question marks on the defensive end of the floor.

Here’s the DraftExpress video from last fall:

As seen in the video, Musa has improved his 3-point shooting stroke, and the confidence and quick release that is displayed here may remind Wolves fans of Nemanja Bjelica, who is a restricted free agent this summer.

His career shooting numbers are not very good, but it’s the recent improvement that has scouts excited, as the overall instincts on offense already seem to be there. Musa knows when to attack and when to pass the ball off to a teammate, and his first step appears to be true enough to still be effective in the NBA.

The issue of build is a real issue, however. Listed at 195 pounds, Musa is fairly slight and may struggle to withstand the pounding he would undergo in the paint at the NBA level. His wingspan isn’t significant, either, and it’s tough to see him being much more than a passable defender.

Nylon Calculus compiled Box Plus-Minus numbers from all of the major foreign leagues, including the Adriatic League Liga ABA, where Musa spent the season. According to Nylon Calculus, Musa was in the 96th percentile when it came to offensive box plus-minus, which is unsurprising. His defensive box plus-minus is a decent 89th percentile.

The upside possessed by Musa should place him firmly in the first round on June 21, but it’s tough to see how he would plug right into a playoff-worthy rotation and make an impact. If his newfound shooting touch is for real, however, he’ll be able to provide value in short order at his size.

Instincts can’t be taught — or, at least not easily — and playmaking ability plus a good outside shooting touch at 6′-9″ should be enough to get him that guaranteed contract that is handed out to the first 30 players drafted.

Next: 5 offseason trade ideas for the Timberwolves

Even if Bjelica walks in free agency, however, I’m not convinced that Musa is the right fit for what Tom Thibodeau seems to be looking for to round out his roster. I would be mildly surprised if he’s the pick at No. 20, but that’s probably right about in the range where he’ll be selected.