Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 15 draft picks in franchise history

• Three seasons with Timberwolves (1996-99)
• Averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 assists with Timberwolves
• Traded during third season, prior to any All-Star appearances

As mentioned earlier, the Timberwolves don’t have an illustrious draft history. That means that we’re including draft night trades on this list. (Trust us, it was necessary.)

Marbury was picked fourth-overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Wolves picked Hall of Fame shooting guard Ray Allen with the very next pick, and ultimately shipped him to the Bucks in exchange for Marbury and a future first-rounder, which became Rasho Nesterovic.

The fact that the Wolves traded Allen before he ever wore a Timberwolves jersey absolutely factors into this ranking coming in at just No. 10, as does Marbury’s relatively short stint in Minnesota and the circumstances under which he exited the Target Center.

Marbury was awesome as a 19-year-old rookie, dropping 15.8 points and 7.8 assists per game while leading the Wolves to their first-ever playoff berth. While it ended in a 3-0 sweep at the hands of Houston, the Wolves were back the following year, pushing George Karl’s Seattle squad to the maximum five games in the first round.

But midway through the following campaign, Marbury all but forced his way out of Minnesota. Flip Saunders and Kevin McHale decided to be proactive, moving the talented young star to the then New Jersey Nets in a three-team deal that brought back former All-Star Terrell Brandon and a future first-round draft pick, which used to pick Wally Szczerbiak.

Marbury’s relationship with Kevin Garnett was tenuous, and their competing alpha-dog personalities was ultimately what brought down what could have been a top-two or three selection by the Timberwolves.