4 Genius Timberwolves moves President Tim Connelly nailed
By Will Eudy
2. Draft night trade to acquire Leonard Miller
Heading in to the 2023 NBA Draft, Timberwolves fans suspected that Tim Connelly might have a trick or two up his sleeve. Minnesota entered draft night without any first round picks, having traded a treasure trove of picks to the Utah Jazz in the deal for Rudy Gobert.
In what turned out to be a relatively top-heavy draft, Connelly did not bother making a potentially risky trade to move into the lottery or even the first round. Instead, he did his research on prospects all the way down the board, eventually settling on G League Ignite standout Leonard Miller.
Connelly worked out a deal with the San Antonio Spurs to send them a 2026 second-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick in order to acquire the 33rd overall selection in the 2023 draft. With that pick, he was able to draft Miller.
The talented wing was regarded by many during the pre-draft process to be a first-round talent. His unique combination of size and skill will give him a great chance of being an impact player for the Timberwolves in the coming years, and Tim Connelly was able to get him for pennies on the dollar.