After the 2024 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves have put themselves in a much more favorable situation than the one they found themselves in prior. Through trading up to acquire Rob Dillingham and then snagging Terrence Shannon in the early second round, the Wolves got some reinforcements that would have been harder to come by in the free agency market.
Now, Minnesota can say they added meaningful pieces while also keeping costs down in order to be better set up for the future. The only downside to their bold draft night move was losing two draft picks to San Antonio, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 top-one protected pick swap.
With those assets gone, the Timberwolves' collection of draft picks over the next seven years shrinks a bit. Here is Minnesota's full updated list of picks between now and 2031.
Timberwolves updated draft picks
2025 NBA Draft
- 2nd round pick via Utah
2026
- 2nd round pick via Indiana, Miami or San Antonio
2027
- None
2028
- 1st round pick
2029
- 2nd round pick
2030
- 1st round pick
2031
- 1st round pick
- 2nd round pick
It is clear that even before the trade for Dillingham, the Timberwolves were already low on draft capital. The decisions to trade for impact players like Rudy Gobert over the years have played a big part in their collection dwindling so much.
But in the end, they still have more picks than some other teams in contention that have sold off basically all their assets. And at the same time, they are probably closer to winning a championship than all but maybe one or two teams at most in the Western Conference.
All in all, giving up two picks six and seven years down the road was well worth it to get a talent the likes of Dillingham. If the Timberwolves remain in contention for the next several years as Anthony Edwards prepares to enter his prime, the picks they gave away will in all likelihood end up as late first-rounders anyway.