Through careful drafting, trading and managing of assets, the Minnesota Timberwolves have built what most would consider a true top-of-the-line championship contender. Earning a top-three seed in the Western Conference last season, the team is primed to once again be one of the conference's best in the upcoming season.
One of the ways in which Minnesota has been most tactful in using their assets has been through careful dealing of draft picks. Keeping all your picks forever and expecting to build a championship team is simply not feasible, and the Timberwolves' front office has made several calculated gambles to bring in more talent.
The result has been them ending up with a smaller collection of draft picks. It has of course been worth it for them to this point, but stopping to consider what the team is working with when it comes to draft assets is a useful exercise as well. To get an idea of what exactly Minnesota's draft capital currently looks like, this is a comprehensive list of every future Timberwolves pick.
Timberwolves future first-round draft picks
2028 first-round pick (own)
Timberwolves future second-round draft picks
2025 second-round pick (DEN or PHI)
2025 second-round pick (UTA)
2026 second-round pick (IND, MIA or SAS)
2029 second-round pick (own)
2031 second-round pick (GSW)
2031 second-round pick (own)
Timberwolves outgoing picks
2025 first-round pick (UTA)
2025 second-round pick (ATL)
2026 first-round pick (UTA or CLE)
2026 second-round pick (BOS, NYK or WAS)
2027 first-round pick (UTA)
2027 second-round pick (NYK)
2028 second-round pick (SAS)
2029 first-round pick (UTA)
2030 first-round pick (SAS)
2030 second-round pick (DET)
2031 first-round pick (SAS)
Timberwolves updated draft picks
The fact that the outgoing picks list is by far the longest is certainly not the most comforting sight for Timberwolves fans. Six first-rounders that previously belonged to Minnesota are slated to be used by other teams between next year's draft and 2031.
Perhaps the biggest gut punch is that the Timberwolves currently own just one first-round pick for the remainder of the decade in 2028. This lack of picks is certainly troubling to a degree, but fans can still rest in the fact that Minnesota is a true contender. If they can bring home the franchise's first NBA championship, it will be well worth the lost picks.