The Minnesota Timberwolves are actively looking at all options that may be available with the first overall pick for the November 18th NBA Draft.
The Minnesota Timberwolves might not be moving the first overall pick, after all. ESPN’s Zach Lowe recently reported that there has not been much interest from any teams in moving a star in favor of a top pick in this year’s draft class, whether it be the Wolves’ or Warriors’ draft pick.
"“Rarely have the No. 1 and 2 picks gone to teams in various win-now stages. Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors have explored trading their picks for All-NBA-level stars, sources say, but no such deal appears (for now) likely to materialize. The Wizards have shown no interest in trading Beal for either pick, sources say. Ditto for Phoenix with Devin Booker and Philadelphia with Ben Simmons.Again: If Beal forces Washington’s hand, a package centered on the No. 1 pick is nothing to sneeze at. Players one tier down are probably not worth a top-two pick.”"
Obviously, the most rumored player (or rather, player that Timberwolves fans have been vying for the most) has been Devin Booker, who is about to enter his sixth NBA season. A possible Booker trade looked unlikely before this news due to the Suns recent success in the NBA’s ‘bubble’ this past summer, but seems virtually undoable now, so long as he does not publicly request a trade (in which case, the odds dramatically increase).
Ben Simmons and Bradley Beal were both alternative options, but neither seemed particularly likely, either, as Simmons is perhaps the best player on a 76ers roster that needs to be revamped and Beal (in addition to management) has said he does not want to go anywhere.
Currently, there are two players that are seemingly being connected to the first overall pick: Georgia wing Anthony Edwards and Illawarra guard LaMelo Ball. Should the Timberwolves keep this pick, rather than trade it for a star, one of those two will probably be the selection.