Minnesota Timberwolves: 5-step plan for a perfect off-season

Step II: Land two key prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft

Even as the team enters the 2022 NBA Draft with four picks, the team should aim to emerge from the draft with at least two key contributors. That’s a 50 percent hit rate. Is that doable? Well, the Minnesota Timberwolves hold four picks: At 19, 40, 48, and 50. That allows the team significant flexibility in this draft.

The Timberwolves have enough firepower to emerge with two players from Round 1, they can stay in place and attempt to draft and stash a player or two for future roster needs. The Timberwolves can trade this year’s picks for future picks. And the team can even assemble a package of player(s) and pick(s) for a player.

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

So why not just one prospect? Why not three prospects? Well, the Timberwolves are a youngish team but have transitioned from a player looking for key cogs on this roster, to a team that is looking to add complementary pieces to the core of this roster. Right now, I believe that the Timberwolves front office views this team as building around the talents of big man Karl-Anthony Towns and hot-handed shooter Anthony Edwards.

The roster is too full for too many prospects. While the season limit allows for 15 players, NBA playoff teams truly focus on the main eight or nine players who will emerge as their postseason rotation. Other roster spots become the role and niche players who absorb minutes during the regular season, play competent basketball, and exhibit the potential to develop into future NBA stars.

One for the frontcourt and one for the backcourt ought to be the right number.