Grading the Minnesota Timberwolves 2023 NBA Draft picks

Coming into the 2023 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves had only one second-round pick, at the 53rd position, with plenty of options to choose from. We could’ve gone with a solid 3-and-D wing, another backup point guard for the future and to replace veteran PG Mike Conley Jr. eventually, or even a big man off the bench to offset the absence of center Naz Reid in the case he does walk in free agency.

Considering the needs and the fact that big names were dropping, like Cam Whitmore to the 20th spot (Houston Rockets), and Nick Smith Jr to the 27th spot (Charlotte Hornets), Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Conelly knew that he had an opportunity to get some talented players in this year’s draft.

He even hinted before the draft that trades were certainly on the menu, as he tried all night to move up on the draft board. But the plan was not simply to draft sooner, but to draft more often. That would mean that Connelly would select two of his guys, instead of just one, in a draft with no guarantees that his target would be there when the Timberwolves stepped up to the draft podium.

Well, he did just that.

After converting one late second-round pick into two promising young players with high potential and likeliness to contribute straight away, we have a chance to pause and catch our breath.

Let’s take a deeper dive at these selections and grade them according to need, fit, and overall drafting, considering the names still on the board.

With the 33rd overall pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves select: Leonard Miller (F, G-League Ignite)

After most Timberwolves’ fans were starting to lose hope of drafting someone earlier, down comes the report from Adrian Wojnarowski, reporting the breaking news that the Minnesota Timberwolves were trading two future second-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs for the draft rights to pick 33rd overall.

With this pick, the Timberwolves selected forward Leonard Miller, a 19-year-old Canadian wing who played for the G-League Ignite team last season.  Miller played alongside fellow draftee Scoot Henderson. Miller averaged a double-double throughout the season, with 18 points and 11 rebounds per game, as he really got to showcase both his athleticism and high-motor against former-NBA players in the G-League, while only being a teenager.

Guard ball skills, forward frame

Coming up, Leonard originally played as a guard, which is why despite standing 6-foot-10, he was one of the best ball handlers in the Ignite squad. Even though they had a poorly spaced offense, very much revolving around star Scoot Henderson, who isn’t the best perimeter shooter.

Miller is a highly efficient rim attacker, ending the season with around 66 percent efficiency attacking the basket. In a similar fashion to his former teammate Henderson, Leonard isn’t a proven shooter, still having to develop a more consistent jump shot, having shot only at a 32 percent accuracy on very low volume (at around 2 attempts per game).

On the defensive end, he boasts plenty of upside. Despite his frame and athleticism, he still lacks some of the off-ball movement essentials and has some lingering rotational issues. Yet those shortfalls are coachable and easily corrected with coaching, focus, and repetitions at training camp later this summer.

This is an excellent pick overall in the early stages of the second round, with Miller being projected to be chosen around the 20th pick, a big guard mindset in a forward’s frame, with a lot of upside on both sides of the court, while also providing immediate contribution from day one.

Yes, please.

Grade: A+

With the 53rd overall pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves select: Jayeln Clark (G, UCLA)

At our original draft position, there was a 22-year-old guard out of UCLA still available, who was projected to go a little bit earlier, but in that same range and so, Connelly chose his guy.

Guard Jaylen Clark averaged 13 points and six rebounds in his junior season for UCLA, while also coming away with the Naismith Defensive Player of The Year Award, joining the likes of Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz) and Davion Mitchell (Sacramento Kings).

One thing that stands out is that this was his first season as a full-time starter for Mike Cronin, having only entered the starting lineup on six other occasions in 59 games. With the increase in opportunity, he flashed plenty of improvements to his game, having a better chance to showcase his defensive skills while also maintaining his efficiency in a way higher shot volume, with a predominance in finishing at the rim.

Defensive standout but long rehab

What’s so interesting about this pick? Jaylen Clark suffered a torn Achilles right before the end of the season and the March Madness tournament, which took a huge hit on his stock.  That explains why he fell so far on draft night. So when will he be able to play?

Connelly stated that his recovery time is currently projected at around 9-12 months, which would mean that he could be ready at around December/January, right in time for him to ramp up his game conditioning with the Iowa Wolves and get ready for later opportunities, maybe even at the end of this season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, this was indeed a risky pick, as uncertainty surrounds the kind of player he’ll be after his recovery. There were plenty of interesting prospects still available on the board, such as Jalen Slawson, who was also seen as one of the potential selections for the Timberwolves, as a 6-foot=7 forward.  Slawson is one of the oldest guys in the draft at 23 years of age, who showcased his above-average scoring skills in his senior year at Furman.

Keeping this in mind, the fit of a very defensive-minded guard to the lineup is very appealing to Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, which is why this is a very solid pick.  If it indeed pans out as expected, it will be a huge addition. Still, it could be in jeopardy due to the serious injury that Clark suffered earlier this year.

Grade: B+