Wolves' 2nd round pick official thread

[Monster]

I want to see #31 and Bjelica packaged to get up as high as possible. Flip is throwing out the rhetoric that he doesn't think he can get in the top 18 with that package. I'm not so sure that isnt some smokescreening by him.

Maybe, but I tend to agree with him. This draft seems exceptionally deep and flat to me, and someone you pick at 31 might easily turn out to be a better player than someone you pick at 18. Look at PF for instance. Cliff Alexander is projected to be a second rounder and Bobby Portis is slotted in the mid to upper teens. This makes sense based on their college experience, but not necessarily on their natural ability and upside. The separation isn't distinct enough for me to consider packaging, UNLESS Flip has enough knowledge of Bjelica that he knows he will never be a player for us. In that case, I would be happy to package one of our seconds and Bjelica for an earlier pick.

Otherwise, I would prefer Flip draft two players at 31 and 36 and evaluate them both along with Towns in Summer League, perhaps with Bjelica too...see if any or all of them can beat out Robbie Hummel or Justin Hamilton. If I'm counting correctly, we only have 11 players locked up for next year, assuming we sign KG, so there's actually room for Bjelica and all three draft picks. I understand 4 rookies is not an ideal situation, but if we stay healthy, 2-3 of them would be in street clothes anyway. Use all the picks, evaluate them during Summer League, and turn to free agency if it's clear a draft pick isn't going to cut it.

That's an interesting perspective and I will add this to where you are going. Let's say you stay pat and get to the 2nd round and you have 5-6 guys you like that you think have a chance to be good and possibly worthwhile on your roster next year. That means you could take the best international player at #31 and wait for whoever is left at #36.

[Coolbreeze44]

After we draft Towns, our biggest need by far is a PG. To get a good one in this draft I think you need to get up into the teens. Picking a SF or PF at #31-#36 isn't going to move the meter at all for us. We need a good PG, not just a body. It needs to be somebody who can start if Ricky goes down and there isn't a big dropoff.

[thedoper]

After we draft Towns, our biggest need by far is a PG. To get a good one in this draft I think you need to get up into the teens. Picking a SF or PF at #31-#36 isn't going to move the meter at all for us. We need a good PG, not just a body. It needs to be somebody who can start if Ricky goes down and there isn't a big dropoff.

Agree 100%. Are there legit pgs at that range? We probably need to luck out with a euro import picking there.

[Monster]

After we draft Towns, our biggest need by far is a PG. To get a good one in this draft I think you need to get up into the teens. Picking a SF or PF at #31-#36 isn't going to move the meter at all for us. We need a good PG, not just a body. It needs to be somebody who can start if Ricky goes down and there isn't a big dropoff.

Agree 100%. Are there legit pgs at that range? We probably need to luck out with a euro import picking there.

Cool I agree with what you are saying but I think there are teams that won't want to move out of their spot. A couple teams may need a PG also and would you rather have a Bjelicia and a 30's 2nd rounder or a 19 or 20 year old prospect or a well rounded college guy in his early 20's? It takes 2 and it really depends on how the draft falls at this point and what certain teams value but I could see a lot of teams sticking with their pick in the first round.

[Coolbreeze44]

I'm intrigued by what we would have to give up, and what might be available at Sacramento's pick #6.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I know it was just an example, but Portis is twice the player Alexander is.

I agree if you're just looking at last season...in fact, I might raise you to 3-4 times the player. But a year ago, most experts would have said Portis couldn't carry Alexander's jock. Cliff was a top 5 high school player, while Portis was a guy hoping to be a first rounder in a year. His high school battles against Jahlil Okafor were legendary and generally a draw. Did Alexander really change that much, or did he just get into a situation with Bill Self that didn't work out for him? Until he hurt his knee in a workout with the Lakers, he was shocking scouts with his automatic mid-range game. And most think he will be a great shot blocker in the pros with his vertical explosiveness and 7-4 wingspan. I've said it before, but he reminds me of Jeff Adrien with length and a reliable jump shot.

I used that example intentionally, because I would much rather have Alexander and Bjelica than Portis alone. Portis may be the safer pick, but Flip has shown a tendency to want to swing for the fences.

Having said all that, Flip signaled on In the Zone yesterday that he thinks PF is not going to be a position of need, and that he's more likely to be looking for C's, PG's and shooters at 31 and 36.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Do we still have Gary Neal under contract? If he and Bud come back, that.gives us a little more wing depth. So if we can't trade those second rounders for a backup PG, or draft a pg.

No more PFs please. Let's see if flip and our great mentor can turn Payne or AB into a starter. I say that with tongue in cheek of course

[TheFuture]

I'd want to package #36 and Bjelica to move to the 18-22 spot for Jerian Grant, but assuming that doesn't work I would like to keep both picks and draft 2 players in this years second round.

#31 Dakari Johnson
#36 Terry Rozier

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Do we still have Gary Neal under contract? If he and Bud come back, that.gives us a little more wing depth. So if we can't trade those second rounders for a backup PG, or draft a pg.

No more PFs please. Let's see if flip and our great mentor can turn Payne or AB into a starter. I say that with tongue in cheek of course

Nope, Neal is an unrestricted free agent. I liked how he played last year, but he has no real ties here and likely will cost more than we are willing to pay. I see Neal looking for a reserve role on a contender that needs a shooter off the bench

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

I'm intrigued by what we would have to give up, and what might be available at Sacramento's pick #6.

Rubio, Muhammed, 31, 36.