Minnesota Timberwolves: Draft targets if Wolves trade into second round

Second-round draft prospects for the Minnesota Timberwolves: Ibou Dianko Badji

Ibou Dianko Badji | C | Barcelona (Senegal) | 6-foot-11, 230 pounds

Another Senegalese athlete that should be on the Timberwolves’ radar, Badji would make a ton of sense for the Wolves if they aren’t confident in their ability to acquire a rim protector in free agency or the trade market this offseason.

Badji is 7-foot-1 and 230 pounds with a whopping 7-foot-8 wingspan. He has the physical tools to be an elite rim protector and also moves extremely well for a player of his size, which should help him as a rim protector and transition threat.

The Wolves need a rim protector on their roster, plain and simple. Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid have both improved as defenders, but having a consistent defensive option at the 5 (a la Gorgui Dieng) can really help stabilize a team when opposing teams heat-up offensively.

Also, Reid and Towns have shown the ability to play alongside each other, meaning they both could easily slot next to a rim-protecting center and play the 4 position, meaning that a rim protector like Badji could make a big difference on this Wolves roster. It should also be noted that Badji also has a connection to Timberwolves draft pick Leandro Bolmaro, as both played for Barcelona last season.

Highlighted by their reported interest in Myles Turner, The Timberwolves are clearly in the market for a rim protector. The Wolves are also reportedly interested in acquiring Ben Simmons. Given the amount of assets and cap space the Wolves have, it is likely that acquiring only one of these players is possible, and if the Wolves choose to go after Simmons, they will need to look for a low-cost rim protector.

Ibou Dianko Badji would give the Wolves a low-cost rim protector in the second round with elite skills and physical tools.

Currently, Badji is projected to go as high as No. 47 in the draft. If the Wolves were to acquire a second round pick in a trade in the coming weeks, this would be a great way to use the pick – getting a low-cost, low-floor rim protector in Badji.