The Minnesota Timberwolves finished the 2021-22 NBA season with a rather impressive record of 46-36. That was a particularly fabulous final record for a team that started out a bit shakily. The Minnesota Timberwolves at one point were 11-15 early in the season. That was a tough start, but the outlook remained a bit pessimistic as the team found itself even later in the season at 16-20 and even 24-25.
But things eventually got back on track. The team engineered a winning streak of five games at the beginning of February 2022, traded some wins and losses, but then began March 2022 with a six-game winning streak. That led to the team winning 10 out of 11 games, their best run of the entire season.
But now, the team must retool for another season. To do that, they will have the opportunity to add up to four rookies to the roster. When does the team pick?
2022 NBA Draft picks
- First Round
- No. 19
- Second Round
- No. 40 (From Washington)
- No. 48
- No. 50 (From Denver)
The team has a solid first-round pick, a better than average second-round pick, and two later second-round picks that could be used as-is or packaged with one of the team’s first two picks to move up in the draft order.
Trade Value
Per FanSided’s Nick Restifo, who summarized the NBA Draft pick value chart, the Timberwolves’ combined value of the 19th, 40th, 48th, and 50th pick (2.16+0.71+0.49+0.44) is the equivalent of a pick that is between the 11th- or 12th-overall pick of the draft.
If the T-Wolves wish to move up, the combination of the 19th and 50th overall pick would catapult the team to the 16th overall pick. The 19th and 48th picks would get the team to the 15th overall pick of the draft. Of course, that presumes that the Minnesota Timberwolves have a player identified as a significant fit and talent to the team at that spot on the draft board and that the teams who sit at that spot in the draft order are willing to trade back.
That’s not always how it works out. Sometimes no intriguing prospect is on the board at that position. Other times no trade partner is willing to trade.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have the right and need to be surgically precise in this upcoming draft. The team has a solid foundation to continue to build a special roster for the 2022-23 season. But the wrong choice in the 2022 NBA Draft could stymie efforts to advance further in the NBA Playoffs.
Time is on the T-Wolves’ side in this draft. Let’s hope they use it wisely.