NBA Draft: 5 options for the Minnesota Timberwolves at pick No. 20

With only a little more than two weeks left until the NBA Draft, it’s time to begin looking at which players could be available for the Minnesota Timberwolves to take with the 20th pick of the first round.

Spoiler alert: we don’t yet know which prospects will be on the board come pick No. 20 on the evening of June 21st.

But at about two weeks out from the draft, we can sure get a pretty good idea. Combine that with the Timberwolves’ roster needs, and it isn’t too hard to build a top five when it comes to players that could be a match when the 20th pick rolls around.

Barring a blockbuster trade, the starting lineup is set with Jeff Teague, Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins, Taj Gibson, and Karl-Anthony Towns. But remember, Gibson is a free agent after this season, and both Butler and Teague have player options for 2019-20.

That means that at least three-fifths of the lineup will either need to be re-upped or will hit free agency. Which, in turn, means that the Wolves need a contingency plan in the event that things go south during the upcoming season. And as much as the front office would like to trade the pick (see: season recap press conference), they have to consider the future, too — because the future could come quickly.

All that to say, the Timberwolves are still looking for wing help behind Butler and Wiggins, and with Nemanja Bjelica hitting restricted free agency, the role of a stretch-four and a forward that can play both forward spots could need to be filled as well.

First, here is a quick list of honorable mention players that could be considered depending on what the board looks like by pick No. 20 , but they didn’t make my top five.

Khryi Thomas, SG, Creighton: Small, at six-foot-three, and despite a huge wingspan and a clear NBA skill (3-point shooting), he may not be quick enough to score off the dribble or guard his position consistently at the next level.

Troy Brown, SG, Oregon State: Brown has the size and athleticism to be a late-lottery pick, but the consistent production wasn’t there in college. He shot just 29.1 percent on threes, and hasn’t turned 19 years old yet. Doesn’t feel like a fit for Tom Thibodeau.

Lonnie Walker, SG, Miami (FL): Walker is only here because it’s looking more and more likely that he won’t make it to No. 20. I previewed him here, and think his size, athleticism, guarding ability, and upside would be a great fit if he slides on draft night.

Let’s get into our top five.