| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Minnesota Draft Preview Authored by Jason M. Williams - June 8, 2009 - 7:47 am
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2009 Draft Picks: 6th, 18th, 28th, 45th, 47th
Pre-Draft 2009-10 Projected Starters:
PG Randy Foye
SG Mike Miller
SF Ryan Gomes
PF Kevin Love
C Al Jefferson
Key Reserves:
PG Sebastian Telfair
SF Corey Brewer
PF Craig Smith
SF Rodney Carney
What the Wolves Do Well:
The Timberwolves made a coaching change and inserted Kevin McHale as the head coach in December and immediately became a different team. The team went on a ridiculous stretch of 12-4 basketball (including 10-2 at the end of the run) and had fans in the Twin Cities thinking playoffs.
But then Al Jefferson went down and missed the final 30 games and ultimately caused the Wolves to return back to Earth. Jefferson was an animal last year, averaging 23.1 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. The 24-year old centerpiece of the Kevin Garnett trade has blossomed and the decision on the deal is looking increasingly better for Minnesota as he continues to mature under McHale.
A draft day trade last year brought Kevin Love to Minnesota in exchange for O.J. Mayo. In one of the rare win-win trades, the Timberwolves got the perfect complement to Jefferson in the scrappy Love. Love played in 81 games, started 37 and put up 29 double-doubles. For the season, he nearly averaged a double-double with 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Sebastian Telfair had a solid season, serving as the starting point guard in 43 of the team’s games. He averaged a solid 9.8 points and led the team with 4.6 assists per game. Randy Foye continued to impress with 16.3 points and 4.5 assists per game. Otherwise, an injury stole Corey Brewer’s sophomore season, when he was poised to anchor the starting small forward spot.
Greatest Areas of Improvement:
Upgrade in the Backcourt
While Foye has been a solid player in his years in Minnesota, he is not enough. Telfair is not good enough to be a starting point guard and Mike Miller is better suited for the small forward position. The Wolves need a serious upgrade at both backcourt positions and could find a real keeper with the sixth pick in this year’s draft.
Depth at Big Man Positions
While they have two great big guys in Love and Jefferson, behind them is extremely thin. One main reason why K-Love was in the starting lineup was because after Jefferson went down for the year, their front-line depth chart hilariously included the likes of Craig Smith, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins, Mark Madsen, and the WNBA's biggest fan, Shelden Williams. If you or I was 6-10, we'd also have a shot at starting for the Minnesota T-Wolves up front last year.
Who’s Gone Number 6 Recently?
The sixth pick has been very productive over the past five years. Brandon Roy was a steal at six, Danilo Gallinari was a difference-maker on the floor when healthy, Chris Kaman is an All Star caliber player when healthy, and Josh Childress was one of the best sixth men in the league before going overseas – and he will be back…soon. The Wolves should find a guy fully capable of making a major contribution next season with this pick.
2008
Danilo Gallinari, New York Knicks
2007
Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee Bucks
2006
Brandon Roy, Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Portland)
2005
Martell Webster, Portland Trail Blazers
2004
Josh Childress, Atlanta Hawks
Who Should the Timberwolves Target?
- James Harden of Arizona State
The Wolves can't count on Harden still being on the board at six, but he would immediately provide a steady scorer in the backcourt for the Wolves. He could pair beautifully with Jefferson as one of the scariest inside-outside presences in the league.
- Tyreke Evans of Memphis
Evans was a straight beast as a freshman guard with the ability to carry a team on his back for games, weeks, and even months. Evans followed up Derrick Rose’s incredible freshman season by surpassing his numbers and demonstrating that he could be a dangerous weapon at the next level when he nearly beat Missouri by himself. Evans could be the most dynamic slashing guard the Wolves had had since a young Stephon Marbury.
- Brandon Jennings of Italy
Jennings might be the best point guard in the draft. His big body and extreme athleticism give him loads of potential at the game’s most important position. While he is still considered very raw after playing an underwhelming season internationally, he could still step in and become one of the future fixtures for this rebuilding franchise at the point.
Picks Over the Past Five Years
Over the past three years, Minnesota has made some fairly solid picks. Brandon Roy was swapped for Randy Foye (probably not the best idea) and O.J. Mayo was exchanged for Kevin Love (jury still out), but I like Corey Brewer to be the real deal when he's back healthy. While the Wolves have shown great ability to find a solid pro in the second round (see: Craig Smith), they made perhaps the worst move of the draft by giving away their latest second round steal, Mario Chalmers, for two second rounders in this year’s draft.
2008
O.J. Mayo, 3rd (traded to Memphis)
Nikola Pekovic, 31st
Mario Chalmers, 34th (traded to Miami)
2007
Corey Brewer, 7th
Chris Richard, 41st
2006
Brandon Roy, 6th (traded to Portland)
Craig Smith, 36th
Bobby Jones, 37th (traded to Philadelphia)
Loukas Mavrokefalidis, 57th
2005
Rashad McCants, 14th
Bracey Wright, 47th
2004
Minnesota forfeits first rounder
Blake Stepp, 59th
Who Do the Fans Want?
According to Andrew Perna‚s Minnesota Timberwolves Lottery Summit, an interactive forum featuring the responses of true RealGM hoops fans hoping to add their two cents to the Wolves Draft discussion, the fans of Minnesota have made it known that they would like to address their lack of depth with their three picks.
The Verdicts
1. What could the team have done differently to make the playoffs?
PeeDee: There was no chance for this group to make the playoffs this year. We're only in the 2nd year of rebuilding.
4oh5ive: Short of dealing our young assets for vets at the deadline, probably nothing. Though staying healthy would have helped.
Howler21: Making the coaching change long before the season would have been a great help.
rfoye4: If we found a way to get a vet point guard with serious experience.
ChazzleDazzle: The health of Jefferson, Brewer and Foye, paired with an actual plan by the coaches and front office.
shrink: Their goal this year was not the playoffs, but to continue to shed bad contracts and add youth.
dunkonu21: There was no hope for the playoffs. Maybe if Foye started playing like DWade or BRoy we coulda done it. That's not likely though.
wolves_fan_82au: Injuries destroyed any slim hope we had.
C.lupus: Glen Taylor could have sold his soul to the devil.
klomp44: Fire Randy Wittman earlier; avoided injuries.
big3_8_19_21: Maybe if Jefferson stayed healthy and we fired Wittman earlier.
Winter Wonder: Injuries were by far the biggest issue.
revprodeji: Playoffs were unlikely, but .500 was if we remained healthy.
mandurugo: Nothing. Even if everyone stayed healthy and coaching was improved this team wasn't getting above the mid-thirties in wins.
2. Where were the team‚s biggest strengths?
PeeDee: Rebounding, clear and simple.
4oh5ive: Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds.
Howler21: Rebounding and the post scoring from Al Jefferson.
rfoye4: Definitely the PF position with Al and Kevin.
ChazzleDazzle: I agree, rebounding.
shrink: The PF position, and financial strength.
dunkonu21: We dominated the low post on offensive with amazing scoring and offensive rebounds.
wolves_fan_82au: Rebounding.
C.lupus: The power forward position.
klomp44: Post play.
big3_8_19_21: Rebounding and scoring in the paint.
Winter Wonder: Post offense and rebounding.
revprodeji: Rebounding.
mandurugo: Al's low post scoring and rebounding.
3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
PeeDee: Kevin Love turned out better than many of us thought. So much so that he is now viewed as an integral part to our rebuilding effort.
4oh5ive: Love and Rodney Carney. Most of us believed in Carney, but he really played hard when he finally got big minutes.
Howler21: The suprise was Love. Jefferson was on a whole new level before he went down.
rfoye4: Love.
ChazzleDazzle: Love was better than anyone expected.
shrink: Love surprised many of us.
dunkonu21: Carney.
wolves_fan_82au: It would have to be Love.
C.lupus: Mr. Love's Glass Cleaner.
klomp44: Sebastian Telfair.
big3_8_19_21: Love was much more effective than I figured he'd be.
Winter Wonder: Love.
revprodeji: When young players showed something they then regressed. Consistency did not exist.
mandurugo: Nobody; most struggled to play to low expectations.
4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
PeeDee: Randy Foye. It's starting to look like he'll never put it together.
4oh5ive: Foye was inconsistent, but this goes to Mike Miller, hands down.
Howler21: Telfair.
rfoye4: Miller didn't do what I thought he was capable of for us.
ChazzleDazzle: I disagree that Miller was ineffective. He just wasn't effective in the way we expected. Foye was occasionally effective, but not enough. Foye gets the nod for me...
shrink: Foye fits here.
dunkonu21: Foye and Rashad McCants.
wolves_fan_82au: Miller.
C.lupus: I'll go with Foye because of his inconsistency.
klomp44: Foye.
big3_8_19_21: Foye.
Winter Wonder: Miller's shooting, but the rest of his game was great.
revprodeji: Foye was inconsistent, but so was his role. Miller was productive, but not the scorer we needed. Ryan Gomes was my biggest disappointment.
mandurugo: Injury aside, Jefferson was the biggest disappointment. His defense remained among the worst in the league for big men despite his promise to work on it.
5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
PeeDee: Clueless. We've got a brand new sheriff in town. Will it be status quo? Will there be a shake-up? It should be interesting to say the least.
4oh5ive: With Kahn's recent hiring, I'm skeptical. But we need to stop worrying about his past, and worry about the future.
Howler21: Too soon to tell.
rfoye4: Much more confident than I was a few months ago!
ChazzleDazzle: I don't know enough about Kahn yet, but at least he's saying (some of the) right things.
shrink: I'm pretty confident, if Kahn doesn't muck things up.
dunkonu21: It's hard to know, but I'm confident in our talent evaluators as far as the draft goes.
wolves_fan_82au: It's the Timberwolves, I'm never confident.
C.lupus: I'm don't know yet.
klomp44: More now than before.
big3_8_19_21: I'm somewhat hopeful.
Winter Wonder: We have a new front office, but there are still questions.
revprodeji: Cautious. With a new Boss we do not know what to expect so I am cautious, but not optimistic.
mandurugo: Not confident at all.
6. What are the team‚s biggest needs in the draft?
PeeDee: The most talented backcourt player available. Please, please, please, someone who has a lick of perimeter defense.
4oh5ive: Anything to solve our backcourt issues.
Howler21: Point guard and a defensive center.
rfoye4: Point guard, wing and a center.
ChazzleDazzle: Backcourt scoring and defense.
shrink: Best Player Available.
dunkonu21: A scoring guard and some defensive players at any position.
wolves_fan_82au: Anything except for another power forward.
C.lupus: A point guard, perimeter defense, height and a defensive center.
klomp44: A potential star player.
big3_8_19_21: A perimeter slasher who can create for himself, but also be able to find the open man.
Winter Wonder: A point guard and a center.
revprodeji: A play-making wing/guard.
mandurugo: They can be improved at every position, so anything would be acceptable.
7. Who would you like the Wolves to take with the 6th, 18th and 28th picks?
PeeDee: I just want a new, invincible back court. One that is taller than me.
4oh5ive: If we keep all three, #6 Tyreke Evans, #18 BJ Mullens, and #28, Wayne Ellington.
Howler21: Demar DeRozan, Mullens and Ellington.
rfoye4: DeRozan or Evans (6th), Eric Maynor or Ty Lawson (18th) and anyone down low at the 28th pick.
ChazzleDazzle: #6 Curry, #18 Mullins, #28 Budinger if he slips, or Ellington.
shrink: Use the multiple picks to move up.
dunkonu21: DeRozan or Harden with #6. Jeff Teague at 18th. Jermaine Taylor with 28th.
wolves_fan_82au: Harden or DeRozan at six, Mullens or Lawson at eighteen, and Patrick Mills at twenty-eight.
C.lupus: #6: Evans, Harden, or DeRozan; #18: Mullens, Lawson, or Maynor; #28: Casspi or Calathes.
big3_8_19_21: DeRozan, Lawson, and Summers.
revprodeji: A trade for someone like Hasheem Thabeet or Harden.
mandurugo: I'm glad I don't know the answer, knowing could only lead to heartbreak with this team.
Click here to read other draft previews in our 30 Teams, 30 Days series
Who do you want the Timberwolves to draft at number 6? Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments and questions. |
