The Minnesota Timberwolves are focused on putting together another playoff run. However, March Madness also gives fans a chance to think about the draft and, in the case of the Wolves, who might be a good long-term fit around Anthony Edwards. Despite Minnesota's point guard position improving, this remains an area the Wolves might look to upgrade in June.
Christopher Kline over at FanSided.com recently released his latest NBA Mock Draft in which the Timberwolves selected Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner with the 28th overall pick. Kline noted the concerns with drafting another small guard (Tanner is 6-foot, 170 pounds), while also acknowledging that he plays a lot bigger than his size.
"The Wolves could have reservations after only recently whiffing on another small guard prospect in Rob Dillingham, but Tanner's defensive profile is the great separator. He's such a hellacious agitator on that end of the floor (4.1 STL%), with the athleticism to jump passing lanes and alter shots in a way you simply won't expect from a guard with his dimensions," Kline wrote.
Balancing the concerns with Tanner's size and his undeniable all-around impact makes him one of the trickier prospects to evaluate. Thus, he may fall into the Wolves' range or forego the draft altogether. Come June, if Tanner is still available when the Timberwolves are on the clock, Tim Connelly will have a difficult decision to make. Given his affinity for small guards, though, I don't think it would shock anyone if the Wolves draft Tanner.
Drafting Tyler Tanner would be a worthy gamble for the Timberwolves
If the Timberwolves draft another smaller guard, I'm sure a portion of the fan base will erupt in concern after the failed Dillingham experience. I get it, small guards typically take longer to translate, and frankly, the league is trending toward more positional size. Furthermore, with the emergence of Bones Hyland, it's unclear if the Wolves could truly function with two small rotational guards.
Nevertheless, as Kline noted in his analysis, drafting Tanner wouldn't be Dillingham 2.0.
I'll dive into the playstyle differences in a second. Before that, though, I want to acknowledge that trading a future first-round pick and a pick swap to draft a small guard is inherently different than drafting one in the late first-round. Tanner is also a sophomore, so he's a bit more polished than Dillingham was.Â
Impact-wise, Tanner's defense is a massive separator between him and Dillingham. In addition to his impressive 4.1 steal rate, Tanner ranks in the 98th percentile for DRAPM per CBB Analytics. Tanner's grit, athleticism, and IQ, should allow him to survive despite his small frame. Being a small guard isn't always a defensive deal breaker, even in the modern NBA -- look at Fred VanVleet, for example.Â
Offensively, Tanner's profile is incredibly intriguing. He is a true floor general capable of making every pass imaginable, and he rarely makes mistakes. Notably, Tanner ranks in the 95th percentile for assist-to-turnover ratio. The Wolves lack a lead guard with this playmaking skill set, which could make them fond of Tanner.Â
Tanner uses his athleticism and speed to attack the rim at a high rate, converting on 68.2 percent of his shots at the rim per CBB Shot Charts.
Knocking down 36.8 percent of his 4.5 3-point attempts, Tanner is also a solid outside shooter. Averaging 19.5 points on the season (and 26.5 points in the NCAA Tournament), it's clear that Tanner has upside as a scorer.
Ultimately, while drafting a smaller guard like Tanner is always going to be somewhat risky, his two-way impact should mitigate these understandable concerns.Â