The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of options with their trio of draft picks this year.
The Minnesota Timberwolves hold the first, 17th, and 33rd overall picks in this coming NBA Draft. Because of that, they have a lot of different options.
With the first overall pick presumably being a guard (likely either Anthony Edwards or LaMelo Ball), a lot of those that follow the team expect the 17th overall pick to be a wing or forward – someone that can play the small or power forward position. In that range, Aaron Nesmith, Saddiq Bey, and Patrick Williams come to mind.
However, sitting at the 17th overall pick and selecting the best overall player to fall down the board is going to be the best option for the Timberwolves.
Selecting a team fit is never necessarily a bad thing but reaching for a player that is clearly less talented than others simply because of his particular skill set is a mistake far too many teams make.
This year, there are two main players that most have pegged in the top ten but end up falling in most mock drafts: North Carolina’s Cole Anthony and Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey.
Starting with Anthony, he is a dynamic, athletic guard that has an elite 3-point shot. Anthony essentially carried the Tar Heels’ roster this past season and the team afforded him absolutely no spacing. He is also an incredible rebounder, improved his decision making throughout the course of the season, and is active on defense.
Maxey, on the other hand, is a defense-first guard that has the floor to contribute for any NBA team right away. Though his shot wasn’t consistent at Kentucky, his free-throw rate projects him to be an improved shooter at the professional level. Maxey is a high-effort guard that can also facilitate an offense.
The Timberwolves will likely have the opportunity to select either, if not both of those players – and if not – they should continue to look at selecting the best overall player available regardless of position. Finding talent in general is what makes NBA teams good.