Minnesota Timberwolves Draft: Saddiq Bey or Patrick Williams?

Minnesota Timberwolves Draft: Saddiq Bey or Patrick Williams?

Defensive Impact

Saddiq Bey was also the best defensive player for Villanova this year. He typically guarded the opposing team’s best player, regardless of position, and was very effective in doing so.

Bey’s lack of quickness might hurt him at the NBA level but he’s not a terrible athlete, and his combination of strength, length, and IQ should carry over. He’ll be able to switch onto guards and bigs, provide good off-ball defense, and add toughness to any defensive lineup.

Patrick Williams might not be ready to switch onto quicker guards right now, but once again, he’s still developing. His tank-like build makes him a step slow on the perimeter. Not necessarily a liability, but not great in that regard.

Williams’ real defensive value lies in his potential as a weak-side shot-blocker, and that skill might be especially intriguing for Minnesota. With D’Angelo Russell on the perimeter and Karl-Anthony Towns in the paint, there are going to be defensive lapses for this team. Having a second shot-blocker on the floor would be a huge help to Towns.

Williams also has great defensive instincts. He averaged a steal and a block in only 23 minutes for Florida State, and seems to be exactly the type of athletic, rangy defender the Wolves would love to have at the power forward position. They’re going to need elite help defenders in order to be competitive, and Williams might be one.

Advantage: Williams.

Now, let’s talk about overall fit…