Does it worry Minnesota Timberwolves fans that Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly currently possesses just one draft pick, and that the lone pick occurs in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft? It shouldn’t. The thing about draft picks is that they are very similar to lottery scratch-off tickets. None are guaranteed, but all hold the chance at a jackpot.
One of the many reasons for the Timberwolves to hire Connelly in the first place is the fact that he has a very good track record (relatively speaking) with selecting rookie prospects from the NBA Draft.
That ability is worth its weight in gold, because a constant supply of young talented players not only gives an NBA franchise a very competitive team on the basketball court, but it provides a constant stream of NBA players who are affordable enough to balance out the payroll expense of a competitor.
Round 2 is vital for the Timberwolves’ future
And the truth is that without the ability to afford elite players in the NBA, there is no realistic path to an NBA Championship. So the Minnesota Timberwolves, as crazy as it sounds, need to use and hit on those rookie prospects chosen in Round 2 of the NBA Draft. The current contract of Timberwolves’ young power forward Josh Minott is a perfect example of how the Timberwolves gain financial leverage by adding players chosen later in the draft.
The trick is finding those inexpensive but competent players in the second round of the NBA Draft, which is about as easy as finding truffles in an unexplored forest.
Well, believe it or not, Connelly is about as good at finding late draft diamonds as a prize pig is at finding Truffles. If you didn’t know, pigs are experts at sniffing out those rare and valuable delicacies, which can be quite time-consuming, and long foraging does not always result in a bountiful harvest.
Connelly compared to a truffle-finding swine? LOL, yes.
The trick is to hit pay dirt in the draft
That analogy can be applied to the long time-consuming process required to prepare for the annual NBA Draft. Without a command of who may be selected, the Timberwolves must know who could be there when they do pick and have enough knowledge and wisdom to make the right choice. Can President Connelly do it? Let’s just say that right now, Connelly is on the scent of another potential star player:
Fascinating pattern I’ve observed: Tim Connelly likes to draft All-NBA type centers in his 1st year as GM and then immediately trades them to Utah. In year 2, he opts to pick future MVPs in the 2nd round. This has repeated consistently throughout Connelly's career. Evidence ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/H8VIkColOv
— jakes graphs (@jakesgraphs) June 9, 2023
After trading Rudy Gobert to the Utah Jazz, then-Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly proceeded to draft center Nikola Jokic in Round 2 of the following NBA Draft. Can lightning strike twice for Timberwolves President Tim Connelly? Perhaps, which is why the 2023 NBA Draft is lining up to be so vital for the team.
But there could be an even brighter outcome for the 2023 NBA Draft for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves could emerge with a talented young player whose talent will command minutes on the basketball court.
It all adds up to a vital moment of truth for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Will the team step up to the next level? Or will the team slide backward into oblivion once more? Stay tuned.