Minnesota Sports Forum

Take the best player available with our own pick, which will likely be top 10. Then fill a specific need with the Nets pick or use it to trade up a few slots for the player you want.

Halliburton and Wiseman are my two favorites right now.

I don't think we need to use a high lottery pick to get the defensive big KAT needs beside him. But if Wiseman is the best player available then the Wolves should grab him. Otherwise, I'd gravitate towards taking Halliburton, a highly skilled, long 2-way lead guard averaging 40% from behind the arc and 2.5 steals per game. Then get a defensive big through trade or free agency.

What happens with Malik Beasley will be a significant factor in the Wolves draft strategy. If he excels as our starting SG the rest of this season and the Wolves are able to sign him to a reasonable contract, then that gives the Wolves more draft flexibility, including the option of trading Culver in draft day.

I'd be fine with a bigger guard like LaMelo. He at least has wing size and would give us another ball handler and scorer. 1 doesn't cut it. We still need a second guy who can create offense for himself and others. If you take a guy who could be a good replacement for Booker in PHX you just increase your odds of being able to acquire that piece down the line which I think needs to be the long-term goal.

lipoli390 wrote:Take the best player available with our own pick, which will likely be top 10. Then fill a specific need with the Nets pick or use it to trade up a few slots for the player you want.

Halliburton and Wiseman are my two favorites right now.

I don't think we need to use a high lottery pick to get the defensive big KAT needs beside him. But if Wiseman is the best player available then the Wolves should grab him. Otherwise, I'd gravitate towards taking Halliburton, a highly skilled, long 2-way lead guard averaging 40% from behind the arc and 2.5 steals per game. Then get a defensive big through trade or free agency.

Agreed.

lipoli390 wrote:Take the best player available with our own pick, which will likely be top 10. Then fill a specific need with the Nets pick or use it to trade up a few slots for the player you want.

It seems to me the lower down in the draft you pick the more you should focus on best available. The odds they'll bust is high, and even higher if you ignore talent and draft for need.

I think it is a mix. You come up with tiers for players and sometimes the BPA might not fit for your roster and you pick the guy that is in that tier in an area need and maybe 2 or 3 spots ranked lower. Fit is a huge part of the NBA when you get past the stars.

Would anyone consider trading picks for cap space? I am not sure how the league looks as far as teams with cap space. The lower the number with cap space the more value it has for trades etc.

bleedspeed177 wrote:Would anyone consider trading picks for cap space? I am not sure how the league looks as far as teams with cap space. The lower the number with cap space the more value it has for trades etc.

I think the Nets pick may have more value to the Wolves as trade chip vs the players we could actually draft. There will always be teams that are willing to shed a player and their salary for a mid-1st draft pick. Lots of teams will likely be looking to make a FA splash, and those teams often need to shed a contract or 2 in order to facilitate. If we can find the right guy, this may make more sense than drafting in that spot. If not, by all means draft BPA.

I like this draft more than most pundits. Also, I rarely buy the tired analysis concerning the draft's quality. The "this draft is considered weak" takes are lazy to me. Year after year we see that isn't the case as stars are almost always yielded. What they mean to say is there's no obvious cream of the crop prospect like a Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. That does not mean there won't be one or likely more All-Stars to come from this class.

Camden0916 wrote:I like this draft more than most pundits. Also, I rarely buy the tired analysis concerning the draft's quality. The "this draft is considered weak" takes are lazy to me. Year after year we see that isn't the case as stars are almost always yielded. What they mean to say is there's no obvious cream of the crop prospect like a Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. That does not mean there won't be one or likely more All-Stars to come from this class.

Absolutely agree. And we don't even know yet who's coming out...but i guess it's good for espn ratings to make these bold claims.