A week ago, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas acknowledged that the 2020 draft class features no clear-cut top choice. However, it sounds like the team is comfortable with its options. On a Wednesday conference call with reporters, including Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, executive VP Sachin Gupta said the Wolves are prepared to make the first overall selection.
“We feel pretty good about where we’re at. We’re ready to pick,” Gupta said. “There is still information flowing in from different prospects. The NBA is doing a great job trying to salvage the draft combine process and pre-draft process. … But we feel really good about where we’re at the at the top of the draft and are ready to pick if we have to.”
As Gupta alluded to, teams still have a few weeks to conduct up to a total of 10 private, in-person workouts with prospects, and those sessions may influence draft-day decisions. Still, it sounds as if the Wolves have a pretty good sense of which player they’ll draft first overall if they keep the pick. Trading out of No. 1 also remains a possibility, according to Gupta.
“We’re having conversations and by those conversations, we’ll get a better sense of what (the No. 1 pick is) worth,” he said. “Those conversations are happening and will continue to happen, and we’re wide open. But I know we’re very happy picking at the top, but certainly teams are inquiring and we’ll get back to them.”
[RELATED: Hornets reportedly willing to trade up for James Wiseman]
Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball have been identified most frequently as presumed Minnesota targets at No. 1, though there’s no guarantee the team will opt for one of those two guards. The Wolves have been keeping their cards close to the vest, and this year feels a little like 2013, when four or five prospects were still in play for the No. 1 pick leading up to draft day. We’ll find out in three weeks what the club ultimately decides.
The only one team that can tell all the fans who they will pick is Wolves
I’m thinking we need a wing defender that can shoot the three
Almost like a Robert Covington type huh?
A Morris brother would be cheaper.
Marcus could be acquired for a discount this offseason given his struggles on the Clippers. Obviously he’s not as talented as he was with the Knicks but he could be a very dangerous offensive weapon off the bench for a team in need of some punch at forward
Denni Avdija is the guy! here it here first
Wolves want #1 pick like this?
Offense comparable to Durant
Defense comparable to Pippen
Wolves and GSW are both interested in attracting bidders for their picks. Wolves can’t credibly fain interest in Wiseman specifically, like GSW, so pretending to be ready and happy to use their pick on a specific player (nameless) is the best approach. Which team floated the Hornets story, who knows, but both would benefit from the story being true. In the end, I still don’t see a bidding war for these spots.
Chance of Being 1st rd (1)
Edwards 48%
Ball 26%
Wiseman 13%
Toppin 10%
Okoro 3%