What do you do with the number 1 pick?

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I think Khansy is right. It's less about Wiseman and more about the position he plays. Everyone is after the next great scorer/playmaker that can control a game with the ball in his hands. I just don't think either Ball or Edwards will end up being one of those types.

[Monster]

I think Khansy is right. It's less about Wiseman and more about the position he plays. Everyone is after the next great scorer/playmaker that can control a game with the ball in his hands. I just don't think either Ball or Edwards will end up being one of those types.

I wonder if Ayton being just pretty good so far has made people a little shy about picking a really good C #1. I was just looking at advanced stats it looks like Ayton has already moved to being a positive in that area. Has the league been burned a bit by talented offensive centers that it seems they can't be a key to successful teams anymore in addition to the Changes to a modern game?

Who was the last offensive center (Say a 20ppg type guy or better) who was also a game changing defensive guy? Pau Gasol? Duncan? Marc Gasol wasn't exactly a 20ppg guy but really good. Jokic is a unique guy but I wouldn't say he deserves to be considered a high level impact guy yet. Anthony Davis is suppose but how much does he play center? He fits the supposed modern guy mold...which Wiseman might be that type of guy offensively but it's uncertain. I don't see a Luka type we show be clearly taking over Ayton (Wiseman) right?

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I think Khansy is right. It's less about Wiseman and more about the position he plays. Everyone is after the next great scorer/playmaker that can control a game with the ball in his hands. I just don't think either Ball or Edwards will end up being one of those types.

I wonder if Ayton being just pretty good so far has made people a little shy about picking a really good C #1. I was just looking at advanced stats it looks like Ayton has already moved to being a positive in that area. Has the league been burned a bit by talented offensive centers that it seems they can't be a key to successful teams anymore in addition to the Changes to a modern game?

Who was the last offensive center (Say a 20ppg type guy or better) who was also a game changing defensive guy? Pau Gasol? Duncan? Marc Gasol wasn't exactly a 20ppg guy but really good. Jokic is a unique guy but I wouldn't say he deserves to be considered a high level impact guy yet. Anthony Davis is suppose but how much does he play center? He fits the supposed modern guy mold...which Wiseman might be that type of guy offensively but it's uncertain. I don't see a Luka type we show be clearly taking over Ayton (Wiseman) right?

Embiid is the only true Center that does it on both ends and he can't even make it out of the Conference Finals. The problem comes in when you can throw any 7 footer and in some cases even a wing at these guys and they don't abuse that matchup on the block. Same for all the other bigs in the league. There is no Shaq right now that is just making everyone his bitch on the block. AD, Towns, Nurkic, Jokic and even KP should be utterly destroying P.J. Tucker on the block and taking his lunch money but they aren't about that physical life in the post. It's a finesse game right now which favors the guards and the wings and I kind of just want to put two 7 footers on the floor and tell them to fuck shit up in the paint. And you are right, there is no real wing who is anywhere near a number 1 option on offense with the ball in their hands as both a creator and scorer in this draft so you either take the big swing and potentially hit or miss on that guy or you can go for more steady production from a guy like Wiseman.

[Monster]

I think Khansy is right. It's less about Wiseman and more about the position he plays. Everyone is after the next great scorer/playmaker that can control a game with the ball in his hands. I just don't think either Ball or Edwards will end up being one of those types.

I wonder if Ayton being just pretty good so far has made people a little shy about picking a really good C #1. I was just looking at advanced stats it looks like Ayton has already moved to being a positive in that area. Has the league been burned a bit by talented offensive centers that it seems they can't be a key to successful teams anymore in addition to the Changes to a modern game?

Who was the last offensive center (Say a 20ppg type guy or better) who was also a game changing defensive guy? Pau Gasol? Duncan? Marc Gasol wasn't exactly a 20ppg guy but really good. Jokic is a unique guy but I wouldn't say he deserves to be considered a high level impact guy yet. Anthony Davis is suppose but how much does he play center? He fits the supposed modern guy mold...which Wiseman might be that type of guy offensively but it's uncertain. I don't see a Luka type we show be clearly taking over Ayton (Wiseman) right?

Embiid is the only true Center that does it on both ends and he can't even make it out of the Conference Finals. The problem comes in when you can throw any 7 footer and in some cases even a wing at these guys and they don't abuse that matchup on the block. Same for all the other bigs in the league. There is no Shaq right now that is just making everyone his bitch on the block. AD, Towns, Nurkic, Jokic and even KP should be utterly destroying P.J. Tucker on the block and taking his lunch money but they aren't about that physical life in the post. It's a finesse game right now which favors the guards and the wings and I kind of just want to put two 7 footers on the floor and tell them to fuck shit up in the paint. And you are right, there is no real wing who is anywhere near a number 1 option on offense with the ball in their hands as both a creator and scorer in this draft so you either take the big swing and potentially hit or miss on that guy or you can go for more steady production from a guy like Wiseman.

Thanks I knew I was forgetting someone. To be fair Embiid 2 seasons ago went 7 games and lost to the eventual NBA championship Raptors Who had Leonard. This year he played in the playoffs without his 2nd best player. I'm guessing pretty much every GM would LOVE to have a Joel Embiid and have to figure out how to make it work with him...or a guy like AD.

The question in my mind is how much do teams really believe in his talent? I personally REALLY believed in Embiid in that draft if he could stay healthy. I don't feel as strongly about Wiseman but the other guys aren't exactly Wiggins and Parker and neither of those guys is considered a high impact player. Parker at least has 2 blown out knees as a reason for being a disappointment. The only other All-Star all NBA guy in that draft...was Jokic in the 2nd round. So that draft the best players by far at this point are...centers. That's interesting.

[mrhockey89]

In a perfect world -- where the Wolves can't acquire an All-Star player for their picks -- they'd draft James Wiseman first overall and use some combination of 17, 33, Omari Spellman, Jacob Evans, and Jarred Vanderbilt to move up in the draft to nab Devin Vassell.

That's a perfect world. I'd lose my mind if that were to happen.

Ending up with Wiseman and Vassell without giving up Culver, Okogie or any future picks would be a home run in my view.

Wiseman and Vassell would be my wet dream in this draft.

[mrhockey89]

Per Sachin Gupta, they know who they'll pick at #1 if they don't trade out. No Earth shaker, but it's been a long offseason:
https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/were-ready-pick-gupta-details-wolves-draft-prep

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Per Sachin Gupta, they know who they'll pick at #1 if they don't trade out. No Earth shaker, but it's been a long offseason:
https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/were-ready-pick-gupta-details-wolves-draft-prep

"We feel like we can fit such a wide array of skills around those guys [KAT and DLo] and around that roster, so we don't feel constrained in any way...we can really look for best talent available and also be open to trading," shared Gupta.

That is the most important quote from the article. It's not telling in any way, but I hope they see the number of areas that James Wiseman would help this team that no other top prospect in this class could.

What other 4/5 combination in the NBA is out-rebounding Karl-Anthony Towns and Wiseman on a nightly basis? What other 4/5 combination is scoring more points in the paint than them as a duo? I just see so many advantages the Wolves would have over other teams without sacrificing much in other areas. The same just isn't true if the Wolves take LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards.

Minnesota can have an identity that, quite frankly, nobody else in the league has. The Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets are the two teams that come to mind when I think about traditional frontcourts and their size/skill just doesn't compare to what Towns/Wiseman would present.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Monster, Jokic is absolutely a top tier talent. He's not a superstar like Kawhi or LeBron, but he's definitely a massive plus to his team. Ayton, as you said, is becoming a big plus for Phoenix. He's still very young and can develop further. When Nurkic is healthy, he is super key to that Portland team. They are not the same when he's not playing. And AD played more Center this year than PF. He's becoming like Duncan was after David Robinson left, where the Spurs would have some token starting Center that would play 6 or 7 minutes of Center to start halves and then it would be Duncan in that slot.

I think the question if we draft Wiseman is how many minutes can KAT and Wiseman overlap with each other and what does that look like? Who is guarding the opposing big and who is guarding the opposing "modern" 4 that most teams play nowadays? I also think they could do some intriguing things with a zone defense with those two on the floor.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Monster, Jokic is absolutely a top tier talent. He's not a superstar like Kawhi or LeBron, but he's definitely a massive plus to his team. Ayton, as you said, is becoming a big plus for Phoenix. He's still very young and can develop further. When Nurkic is healthy, he is super key to that Portland team. They are not the same when he's not playing. And AD played more Center this year than PF. He's becoming like Duncan was after David Robinson left, where the Spurs would have some token starting Center that would play 6 or 7 minutes of Center to start halves and then it would be Duncan in that slot.

I think the question if we draft Wiseman is how many minutes can KAT and Wiseman overlap with each other and what does that look like? Who is guarding the opposing big and who is guarding the opposing "modern" 4 that most teams play nowadays? I also think they could do some intriguing things with a zone defense with those two on the floor.

Thats my concern as well. How can we expect Kat to keep with other quicker forwards on the perimeter? Hes lazy on D.

[Wolvesfan21]

I think Khansy is right. It's less about Wiseman and more about the position he plays. Everyone is after the next great scorer/playmaker that can control a game with the ball in his hands. I just don't think either Ball or Edwards will end up being one of those types.

I wonder if Ayton being just pretty good so far has made people a little shy about picking a really good C #1. I was just looking at advanced stats it looks like Ayton has already moved to being a positive in that area. Has the league been burned a bit by talented offensive centers that it seems they can't be a key to successful teams anymore in addition to the Changes to a modern game?

Who was the last offensive center (Say a 20ppg type guy or better) who was also a game changing defensive guy? Pau Gasol? Duncan? Marc Gasol wasn't exactly a 20ppg guy but really good. Jokic is a unique guy but I wouldn't say he deserves to be considered a high level impact guy yet. Anthony Davis is suppose but how much does he play center? He fits the supposed modern guy mold...which Wiseman might be that type of guy offensively but it's uncertain. I don't see a Luka type we show be clearly taking over Ayton (Wiseman) right?

Embiid is the only true Center that does it on both ends and he can't even make it out of the Conference Finals. The problem comes in when you can throw any 7 footer and in some cases even a wing at these guys and they don't abuse that matchup on the block. Same for all the other bigs in the league. There is no Shaq right now that is just making everyone his bitch on the block. AD, Towns, Nurkic, Jokic and even KP should be utterly destroying P.J. Tucker on the block and taking his lunch money but they aren't about that physical life in the post. It's a finesse game right now which favors the guards and the wings and I kind of just want to put two 7 footers on the floor and tell them to fuck shit up in the paint. And you are right, there is no real wing who is anywhere near a number 1 option on offense with the ball in their hands as both a creator and scorer in this draft so you either take the big swing and potentially hit or miss on that guy or you can go for more steady production from a guy like Wiseman.

The refs don't call most fouls down low either though on the block. It's like they were told to get that out of the game. If it was reffed properly I think we would see more post ups still.