When you have a wallet stuffed with currency on payday, it’s easy to wander into a store or restaurant whether or not you intend to make a purchase, simply because you know that you can afford to buy something if you want. But when money gets tight, casual shopping trips became less frequent. After all, why torture yourself? Some Minnesota Timberwolves fans may feel that way about the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft later this month. But fight the urge to avoid the event, and here’s why:
While the Minnesota Timberwolves may not have played up to everyone’s expectations, it’s clear that even hampered by injuries to both backup center Naz Reid and starting small forward Jaden McDaniels, the Timberwolves were not as far off the mark as you might think.
Check the gauges throughout the 2023 NBA Draft
While the front office does not appear to have the potential to move the needle of the Timberwolves roster during the 2023 NBA Draft, that is not to say that the Timberwolves won’t surprise a few folks. And a surprise can take many forms.
Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly has been with the team for a full year now, and over the past year, he has made decisions that have impacted the team in various ways. But he seems to be honing in on what the Timberwolves truly need, as he truly nailed his last transaction, a 3-team trade that offloaded PG D’Angelo Russell and landed PG Mike Conley Jr., Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and three future second-round draft picks.
What does that mean for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the 2023 NBA Draft? Well, it means that Connelly is transforming from Mr. Anderson into NEO, and as that happens, you won’t want to miss it. I recommend tuning into the 2023 NBA Draft. Why? Here are three reasons to motivate you.
III: Minnesota Timberwolves draft day trades
The Minnesota Timberwolves participated in a number of draft day trades during the 2022 NBA Draft. So it falls to reason that they will be receptive to the idea this year as well. In fact, NBA Rumors that are leaking to the public believe that the Minnesota Timberwolves could be involved in a blockbuster trade during the 2023 NBA Draft, one that could involve All-Star PF/C Karl-Anthony Towns.
But, will it happen? You see, that’s the funny thing about NBA Rumors. They may happen, and they may not happen.
The only way to truly be sure of the action is to get a courtside seat. That means dialing in whether by television, the radio sports network, or online streaming, and following along. Will it be worth the effort? I think so. Even if the Minnesota Timberwolves do not pull the trigger, there is bound to be a lot of interest from a number of teams in Timberwolves players and free agents before, during, and even after the draft.
Will the Suns shine on draft day with Timberwolves?
I expect that will depend on offers made by other teams in an attempt to pry a key player away from the Minnesota Timberwolves roster. For example, with the latest blockbuster deal that sent Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, the Sun will need to give serious consideration to trading away salty center Deandre Ayton for a more affordable replacement. That need could give the Suns added incentive to pursue Minnesota Timberwolves backup center, Naz Reid.
Will the Timberwolves consider a sign-and-trade scenario to ensure that the team receives some value if Reid leans towards signing with a new team? That may be a wise strategy. But again, it all depends on how events play out on draft night, which is the perfect reason to tune in.
II: What are NBA Division rivals up to?
While the Denver Nuggets compete for the NBA Championship against the Miami Heat, let’s point out that the NBA Northwest Division was very competitive throughout the 2022-23 NBA season. In fact, the division had two teams in the NBA Play-In Tournament (Minnesota Timberwolves as the eighth seed, and Oklahoma City Thunder as the ninth seed.) And both the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves earned a spot in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
- Denver Nuggets: Round 2 (40)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Round 1 (12) Round 2 (37, 50)
- Utah Jazz: Round 1 (9, 16, 28)
- Portland Trail Blazers Round 1 (3, 23) Round 2 (43)
There continue to be mixed reactions to the Portland Trail Blazers’ perceived ability to get better on pace with the expectations of veteran point guard Damian Lillard. To do that, many believe that their third overall pick, considered quite valuable in the 2023 NBA Draft, will be up for auction to land a blue-chip NBA player.
Timberwolves – Trail Blazers?
While the Timberwolves are not one of the front-runners to engage in a high-stakes exchange with the Portland Trail Blazers, keep an eye on their 43rd overall pick. If the Timberwolves covet any talented rookies in this draft class, that pick is in an ideal location for the Timberwolves to reach for to get a valuable prospect.
But there are plenty of reasons just to keep an eye on the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Utah Jazz as well. I believe that the Thunder are at the cusp of a very good season, and the Utah Jazz, having demolished their roster last season, are in an intriguing situation right now in terms of whether or not they try to turn the corner this season. Finally, there stands the NBA Champion Denver Nuggets.
Sheesh.
I: Minnesota Timberwolves pick in Round 2
It’s easy to ignore the fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves do in fact hold a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While the rest of the NBA treats second-round picks like pocket change, just coins to be thrown onto the surface of a bedroom dresser and ultimately wrapped up and taken to the bank, second-round picks in the hands of Timberwolves President Tim Connelly are like rare wheat pennies.
Connelly has a wonderful and unique knack for finding diamonds in the sand dunes of the NBA Draft. The more picks the Timberwolves can stuff into Connelly’s draft wallet, the more easily he will find those gold nuggets.
Still, even if the Timberwolves stand firm on the 53rd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, that sole rookie could make a difference. Unless the chosen rookie is an immediate and complete disappointment, you should expect them to land on the Timberwolves 15-man roster for the 2023-24 NBA season. That will give the young player not only a chance to train with and compete for playing time on the Timberwolves but will ensure that the Timberwolves have another candidate to assign to their G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.
It was that collaborative effort that helped to accelerate the growth of C Luka Garza, PF Matt Ryan, PF Josh Minnott, and SG/SF Wendell Moore Jr. last season, and the same accelerated development should be on par for the course this season as well.
Of course, if you don’t tune in, we will be here to recap everything that did and could have happened during the 2023 NBA Draft that will or may have impacted the Minnesota Timberwolves. But if you tune in, you will already know all of that.