The NBA Draft is coming up. The draft is scheduled for June 25, while the draft lottery will be held on May 19. The Wolves have three picks in the draft. Our Kyle Ratke examined each Wolves pick and what type of player the team could acquire with the pick.
First Round Pick: 1-4
25% chance of 1st Pick
21.5% chance of 2nd pick
17.8% chance of 3rd pick
35.7% chance of 4th pick
How The Team Got The Pick: By finishing with a 16-66 record, last in the NBA. The Wolves finished a game worse than the New York Knicks (17-65) and two games worse than the Philadelphia 76ers (18-64).
What Type Of Player Could The Team Get?
Flip Saunders said at his end-of-the-season press conference that no matter where the team picks (spots one through four), the team will acquire a player it is satisfied with. Obviously the Wolves would love to stick at No. 1, something that has never happened in team history. This is a pick reserved for a franchise-type player, much like Andrew Wiggins. It will be easier to hone in on players once more players enter the draft and once we know what spot the Wolves will have.
Second Round Pick: 1 (31st overall)
How The Team Got The Pick: Also by finishing with the worst record in the league.
What Type Of Player Could The Team Get?
It’s safe to think of this pick as a first-round pick simply because a player that many thought would be a first-round pick (or even a lottery pick) will fall to this spot. While all eyes will be on the lottery pick, this is also a very valuable pick.
The last five players picked at 31 overall have been Damien Inglis (Bucks), Allen Crabbe (Cavs), Jeffery Taylor (Bobcats), Bojan Bogdanovic (Heat) and Tibor Pleib (Nets).
Second Round Pick: 6 (36th overall)
How The Team Got The Pick: This is technically the Kings pick, but Sacramento traded the pick to the Houston Rockets along with Jason Terry and a 2016 second-round pick for Alonzo Gee, Scotty Hopson and a trade exception. The Wolves acquired the pick after trading Corey Brewer and Ronny Turiaf. The Wolves send Brewer to the Rockets along with Troy Daniels for a 2015 second-round pick (protected 50-60) and a 2016 second-round pick (protected top 45).
What Type Of Player Could The Team Get?
Much like the first pick in the second round, this could be a potential first-rounder that slipped through the cracks. With so many young players already on the roster and with three overall picks, this could be a spot where the Wolves decide to go with an overseas player who isn’t quite ready to make the switch to the NBA. It would at least give the team roster flexibility heading into the offseason.
The last players to be pick at 36 were Johnny O’Bryant III (Bucks), Ray McCallum Jr. (Kings), Orlando Johnson (Kings), Jordan Williams (Nets) and Terrico White (Pistons).