NBA Insiders Amin Elhassan and Bradford Doolittle break down the draft profile, needs and potential picks of the 14 teams eligible for the NBA draft lottery this year. With some help from Chad Ford's Big Board, we take a look at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Personnel needs: PF, SG, SF
Major need: Power forward was a gaping hole for the Wolves this season, starting the out-of-position Thaddeus Young for half the year while Adreian Payne failed to distinguish himself in his rookie season.
Quiet need: Even though the wings look largely spoken for between Rookie Of The Year Andrew Wiggins, fellow rookie Zach LaVine and vet Kevin Martin, adding reliable shooting at any position is an area of improvement that could help hasten the development of their younger players.
Not a need: The center position gives Minnesota a nice little combo between the interior brute scoring strength of Nikola Pekovic and the soft mid-range touch of Gorgui Dieng. It doesn't hurt that Dieng also registers as one of the best young defensive bigs in the league right now.
Depth chart
Jobs in jeopardy: Most of the roster remains under contract, with the exceptions being vets Kevin Garnett (expected to return and end his days where he started his career) and Gary Neal (probably will seek to sign with a contender), and young players Robbie Hummel and Justin Hamilton, who both performed solidly in the time they got on the floor.
Don't mess with it: After a slow start to the year, Wiggins began to really develop into the star-caliber talent that made him the presumptive No. 1 overall pick before he even reclassified in high school.
What free agency could solve
Despite technically being projected to have a payroll that falls under the cap, the Wolves will likely operate as an over-the-cap team to preserve their many trade exceptions, not to mention the use of the full midlevel and biannual exceptions. Minnesota hasn't exactly been a major destination in free agency, and the team's full-fledged rebuilding status doesn't help.
How they draft
Where they draft well: Flip Saunders is overseeing his third draft since returning to Minnesota two years ago and obviously did well for himself the last two Junes by selecting Dieng and LaVine with less than elite pick slots (especially in Dieng's case).
Where they don't draft well: Shabazz Muhammad had a nice sophomore season after he got himself in shape last summer, and the Wolves drafted second-round pick Glenn Robinson III but gave up on him fairly quickly.
Three best fits
Karl-Anthony Towns (Chad Ford Big Board ranking: No. 1): Even though Minnesota is seemingly set at center, it's hard to pass up a talent like Towns. Dieng's developing midrange jumper and the agility of both players could make it conceivable to play them alongside each other and forms a much more solid defensive base than the status quo.
Kristaps Porzingis (No. 5): He's young and underdeveloped physically ... which means he'd fit right in with the Wolves! Seriously, the 19 year old posted a strong year in the toughest domestic league in the world outside of the NBA, Spain's ACB, and he not only brings much needed shooting to the table, but he's also a good shot-blocker and potential defensive presence despite his less than sturdy frame.
Justise Winslow (No. 6): Winslow's combination of toughness, motor, championship pedigree, defensive ability and shooting would be tough for Minnesota to pass up, even with the wing positions "spoken for." Imagine the defensive potential of a Ricky Rubio-Andrew Wiggins-Justise Winslow perimeter, with LaVine coming in off the bench to spell any one of the three, and you have the makings of a very long, athletic wing rotation.
It's a good draft if ...
What they must accomplish: Ideally, you want to add talent that makes life easier for the existing talent, not tougher. This is especially true on the defensive end, where the Wolves ranked dead last in points allowed per 100 possessions.
Additional goals: With the best pick of the second round, the Wolves have the opportunity to keep their talent pipeline going by taking an overseas draft-and-stash prospect.