Wolves Draft Thoughts Thread

[ALessKosherScott]

The Wolves win the tie-breaker to have the sixth best lotto odds.

 

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19187391/new-york-knicks-lose-tiebreaker-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-draft-lottery

[Pardon My Dinger]

The lowest they can go is...6th? Or can they drop further than that if the balls are feeling scornful? Never really followed the draft before.

[kab21]

At the 6 spot does anybody enter into the equation besides Tatum, Isaac and Markkanen? I just can't see an option of drafting a PG or small guard with the roster makeup unless that player was WAY BETTER than any other option.

I think this is a great draft to trade down or to trade for a underappreciated veteran.

 

The Wolves can draft lower than 6th if one of the teams below them gets lucky and moves into the top 3. 

[ALessKosherScott]

Zach Collins is your "I want a better shooter than Isaac but a better defender than Markkanem" sleeper at 6 or 7. Granted, he might end up a center.

[bluechipper]

 

At the 6 spot does anybody enter into the equation besides Tatum, Isaac and Markkanen? I just can't see an option of drafting a PG or small guard with the roster makeup unless that player was WAY BETTER than any other option.

I think this is a great draft to trade down or to trade for a underappreciated veteran.

 

The Wolves can draft lower than 6th if one of the teams below them gets lucky and moves into the top 3. 

Too bad the Wolves didn't take Jamal Murray last year. I'd really like to take De'Aaron Fox or maybe Dennis Smith this year in that scenario.

[PseudoSABR]

Markkanem I think can grow quite a bit on defense--as he gains bulk and is further removed from Europe's game.  He did show some blocking skills late in the season and in the Pac-12 tournament.  Though Isaac's potential is also very attractive, though not sure what position he would play. 

[kab21]

 

Markkanem I think can grow quite a bit on defense--as he gains bulk and is further removed from Europe's game.  He did show some blocking skills late in the season and in the Pac-12 tournament.  Though Isaac's potential is also very attractive, though not sure what position he would play. 

Right now I think I like Markkanen the best. Pair him and Bjelica as your backup bigs and hopefully you get something decent out of them as early as next year. And then the Wolves can concentrate on finding a suitable wing in FA.

[ALessKosherScott]

Canis' draft series just hit on Markkanen and Isaac. Good read.

 

http://www.canishoopus.com/2017/4/28/15436122/canis-draft-guide-part-2-fox-smith-markkanen-isaac-ntilikina

[kab21]

It is interesting that Canis Hoopus regards Markkanen as a long term project that doesn't fit due to that but Isaac isn't. The more I read about Isaac the more I like him long term but I see him as a pretty substantial project with a minimal immediate impact.

[ALessKosherScott]

Canis is always going to side with guys who can pass and block shots. And that's what Isaac does better than Markkanen. That's just what the modern pick-and-roll game puts an emphasis on.

 

But I think Markkanen's shot is probably the safest bet in the draft. So it comes down do you take the chance in the better shooter or the better defender?

[bluechipper]

 

It is interesting that Canis Hoopus regards Markkanen as a long term project that doesn't fit due to that but Isaac isn't. The more I read about Isaac the more I like him long term but I see him as a pretty substantial project with a minimal immediate impact.

I think Isaac is easily the more long term project of the two. He's rail thin, and we saw how that worked out for Brandon Ingram this year.

 

I'm still interested in Isaac, but for now I'd lean towards Markkanen.

[kab21]

 

I think Isaac is easily the more long term project of the two. He's rail thin, and we saw how that worked out for Brandon Ingram this year.

 

I'm still interested in Isaac, but for now I'd lean towards Markkanen.

Ingram is exactly what I was thinking. But I would gladly take a 15+ min/game Brandon Ingram project with this core.

[ALessKosherScott]

I don't think either Markkanen or Isaac are going to make you want to trade Dieng next year. At least not if you really want to make a run at the playoffs.

 

So the question is which one is better long term?

[kab21]

 

I don't think either Markkanen or Isaac are going to make you want to trade Dieng next year. At least not if you really want to make a run at the playoffs.

 

So the question is which one is better long term?

Certainly not. I expect both to be competing for 15 min/game bench roles next year.

 

My point was that Canis Hoopus knocks Markkanen out of consideration because he is a long term project but drools of Isaac.

 

the question regarding isaac is whether or not he would be a wing or a small 4 for the first couple of seasons. I just can't see him playing against 4's right now.

[ALessKosherScott]

 

Certainly not. I expect both to be competing for 15 min/game bench roles next year.

 

My point was that Canis Hoopus knocks Markkanen out of consideration because he is a long term project but drools of Isaac.

 

the question regarding isaac is whether or not he would be a wing or a small 4 for the first couple of seasons. I just can't see him playing against 4's right now.

 

IMHO, part of the reason Isaac can play four right now is that's just the way the game is heading. The Ringer had a great article about how Isaac's long term position may be the five today.

 

https://theringer.com/2017-nba-draft-centers-og-anunoby-jonathan-isaac-e345e30acdd6

 

Markkanen, I think the one thing that really makes me question his him long-term is his Assist% at Arizona makes Shabazz Muhammed at UCLA look like Magic Johnson. The game is heading toward shooting, passing and shot blocking. Markakken definitely wins point one. But does he win it as clearly as Isaac wins two and three? 

 

 

[kab21]

I drool over the long term potential of Isaac but he also looks like the classic lottery bust that never develops. I now have him above Markennan.

 

What on earth would you do if you had a top pick and a need at point guard? Do you still take Ball at #2? #3? #4? 

I absolutely can't stand the circus surrounding him. He is like a more talented Manziel. Completely different circus but I absolutely despise him.

[ALessKosherScott]

I feel bad for Ball because his dad is doing the classic "Marinovich." He actually seems like a decent kid whose biggest fault is he doesn't know how to stop his dad. And it's going to be funny when he walks away from his family and signs with Nike next year. 

 

I think my Timberwolves draft board goes:

 

1. Jackson

2. Ball

3. Fultz

4. Tatum

5. Isaac

6. Markkanen

7. Fox

8. Smith

9. Collins

 

But I'm still internally debating Tatum v. Isaac v. Markkanen and Fox v. Smith v. Collins.

[nicksaviking]

Edited the title as it shows up on the home page and may cause confusion with the baseball draft threads.

[bluechipper]

 

I feel bad for Ball because his dad is doing the classic "Marinovich." He actually seems like a decent kid whose biggest fault is he doesn't know how to stop his dad. And it's going to be funny when he walks away from his family and signs with Nike next year. 

 

I think my Timberwolves draft board goes:

 

1. Jackson

2. Ball

3. Fultz

4. Tatum

5. Isaac

6. Markkanen

7. Fox

8. Smith

9. Collins

 

But I'm still internally debating Tatum v. Isaac v. Markkanen and Fox v. Smith v. Collins.

I couldn't pass up on Fultz at #1. I'm with you on the Tatum v. Isaac debate too. I'd probably lean Tatum, but it's close.

 

If the Wolves hadn't drafted Kris Dunn last year, I'd probably have Fox up above both Tatum and Isaac too.

[bluechipper]

 

I drool over the long term potential of Isaac but he also looks like the classic lottery bust that never develops. I now have him above Markennan.

 

What on earth would you do if you had a top pick and a need at point guard? Do you still take Ball at #2? #3? #4? 

I absolutely can't stand the circus surrounding him. He is like a more talented Manziel. Completely different circus but I absolutely despise him.

At least with Ball, he seems like a decent guy, in comparison to Manziel, who was his own worst enemy. I'd take Ball 3rd behind Fultz and Jackson.

[bluechipper]

ESPN put up an article for team's best and worst lottery picks in team history. Both Kevin Pelton and Chad Ford have KG as the best pick of course, but the worst pick from Pelton makes no sense. Ford took the obvious choice of Jonny Flynn over Steph Curry, but Pelton went with Wally Szczerbiac for some reason. I think Wes Johnson and Derrick Williams are easily worse picks.

 

Anyway, just a fun article to have discussion about.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank-19393608/every-team-best-worst-lottery-picks

[kab21]

Flynn wins hands down since it was almost immediately clear that he wasn't an NBA player. The Szczerbiak pick is quite a reach. 

 

Johnson and Williams fit in with the Longley and Spencer picks where there wasn't a great pick to be made although the players after Johnson have become BIG stars.

 

 

[bluechipper]

The lottery couldn't have gone a whole lot worse for the Wolves. They moved back 1 spot to 7th, and the Lakers managed to keep their pick.

[kab21]

I really would have enjoyed the Lakers losing both of their picks (this year and next) but oh well.

This increases the odds of the Wolves picking from the leftovers of Isaac, Tatum and Markennan. At least one of them should be there.

What if the Wolves took a PG though? Like 3 and D Ntilikina? This move doesn't fill a hole but Dunn and/or Jones could be moved and could fill the PG position long term with Rubio only under contract for 2 years. The Wolves would clearly need to pick up 1-2 players in FA to fill the wing and big holes in the bench though.

[ALessKosherScott]

Draft Xpress has us taking Isaac at 7.

Ford has us taking Isaac at 7.

Draft.net has us taking Dennis Smith.

 

Markkanen is on the board in all of the mocks still. I'm not that worried, albeit I wouldn't have minded Orlando moving up. Seems like they might be the team that grabs Isaac in front of us.

[bluechipper]

 

Draft Xpress has us taking Isaac at 7.

Ford has us taking Isaac at 7.

Draft.net has us taking Dennis Smith.

 

Markkanen is on the board in all of the mocks still. I'm not that worried, albeit I wouldn't have minded Orlando moving up. Seems like they might be the team that grabs Isaac in front of us.

One thing that might help is the 76ers getting the 3rd pick. They could use a traditional PG, and I wonder if they might take Fox over Jackson, pushing the SF's down a spot. I'm not sure if that will matter, as Fox is guaranteed to be picked ahead of the Wolves, but it probably wouldn't hurt.