The Minnesota Timberwolves did not make a single selection in the NBA Draft for the first time in franchise history.
Immediately following the second round, however, the Wolves added a talented rookie guard on a two-way contract.
Minnesota Timberwolves sign Wright to two-way contract
McKinley Wright IV was a four-year starter at the University of Colorado with impressive career averages of 14.2 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor.
Per-game averages can occasionally be a bit misleading for college players due to sample sizes, inconsistent competition, etc., but Wright started 130 of 131 games over the course of his collegiate career. There’s no issue with sample size here, and Wright was remarkably consistent for an annually solid Buffaloes squad.
Wright is a Minnesota native, growing up in Champlin and attending Champlin Park High School. He was Mr. Basketball in 2007 and initially committed to play for Archie Miller at the University of Dayton before Miller left the Flyers to coach at Indiana University.
What McKinley Wright brings to the Minnesota Timberwolves
While Wright’s overall offensive numbers were impressive, his calling card is on the defensive end of the floor.
Wright stands only six feet tall, but he is a tough, hard-nosed defender with the quickness to stay in front of virtually any opposing guard. He fights over screens and stays attached to his man, which is a quality that the Wolves have sorely lacked in recent years.
ESPN’s Mike Schmitz wrote following June’s NBA Draft Combine (subscription required) that Wright “moved himself into the draft conversation” with a strong showing at the event and that he “routinely picked up 94 feet, got underneath bigger guards and proved to be a pest”.
Does that not sound like exactly what the Wolves need? Perimeter defenders who are willing to get their nose dirty, fight through screens, and make opposing ball-handlers miserable.
Offensively, Wright has great scoring touch, as evidenced by his 46.7 percent shooting from the field in his college career (including 48 percent as a senior) and 80.3 percent mark at the free throw line.
He is below average from outside the arc, however, hitting on just 32.8 percent of his 3-point attempts over four years, although he did make 36.5 percent of his threes in his sophomore year.
Wright is a solid mid-range shooter with a strong floater game, which will come in handy to keep defenses honest in head coach Chris Finch’s system.
McKinley Wright’s fit on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster
Following the Ricky Rubio trade that was agreed to just prior to the draft, Wright is the only point guard on the roster behind Russell.
Jordan McLaughlin is a restricted free agent and very well could be back in Minnesota, but the Wolves’ track record of signing undrafted point guards to two-way deals suggests that Wright will absolutely get an opportunity to prove himself at the NBA level this year, even if he spends most of his time in Des Moines with the Iowa Wolves.
There are certainly some similarities between Wright and McLaughlin, but the latter is a better perimeter shooter and is a better paint scorer. The Wolves certainly aren’t expecting to see Wright take McLaughlin’s place, but rather gave themselves some additional insurance at the point guard spot with a plus-defender that possesses a bit of offensive upside as well.
The Wolves will likely keep their other two-way contract slot open through Las Vegas Summer League, which kicks off on Aug. 8.