The Minnesota Timberwolves came out of the 2024 NBA Draft as massive winners. They entered the first day of the draft with just one first-round pick, and they left the two-day draft event with a promising young point guard prospect as well as a league-ready wing to help with depth.
It was yet another display of the mastery of asset management and decision-making that Timberwolves President Tim Connelly possesses. The mastermind of Minnesota's 2023-24 team that went to the Western Conference Finals helped them get another step ahead of the competition as they chase a championship.
This development should come as no surprise to all those that have seen the genius of Connelly on display for these last two-plus years. In fact, Tim was simply picking up where the organization's previous brilliant moves had left off. It was ultimately the 2020 draft where the Wolves acquired Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels that the current era of this team truly began.
Minnesota's 2020 trade for Jaden McDaniels is fully finalized
Coincidentally, Minnesota's 2020 trade that gave them the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels was finally fully realized on Thursday night at the conclusion of the second round of the draft. Shortly after draft night in November 2020, the Timberwolves traded James Johnson, the draft rights to Aleksej Pokusevski and their 2024 second-rounder to the Thunder in exchange for Ricky Rubio and the draft rights to McDaniels.
On Thursday night, that draft pick ended up in the hands of the Knicks, who used it to select Kansas University wing Kevin McCullar Junior with the 56th overall pick. So the pick that Minnesota sent away over three and a half years ago ultimately did not even stay with Oklahoma City.
All things considered, it is safe to say the Timberwolves would do this trade over again the exact same way given the chance. McCullar will have the chance of becoming a rotation player in the league, but the odds are not phenomenal. Minnesota is of course more than satisfied with losing that pick for the end result to be an All-Defensive second team wing in their starting lineup for the foreseeable future.