What will the Timberwolves do in the 2019 NBA Draft?
More than probably any year, I can tell you I don’t know the answer to this. Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas made it pretty clear in his pre-draft media availability on Tuesday that the Wolves are looking at all options. Trading up, trading down, staying at 11 – anything could happen. And when he says that, you believe him because that’s the way he’s operated since taking over the franchise. No option is too crazy if it means improving the team.
This is a deep draft. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be a for sure star outside of Zion Williamson, but when it’s all said and done, that will certainly change. Players will emerge as late-round steals and others perhaps will underperform their draft value. The draft is a wild thing. While the draft might not be top heavy, but there is plenty of intrigue for the players projected to be mid-first-round picks.
Rosas talked for about 25 minutes on Tuesday and said some interesting things. He did not, however, tell us who the Wolves are going to take. Turns out we’ll have to wait until Thursday evening for that.
Here are a few observations from Rosas’ press conference:
- No Promises! Sometimes throughout the draft process, we hear reports that players have been promised to be drafted by a certain team at a certain spot. Rosas told us the Timberwolves are not, and will not be, one of those teams.
- Making Calls Rosas said that his team has talked to every team in the league about possible moves leading up to the draft. That’s not exactly a surprise. Teams do this. Phones ring at this time of the year and as Rosas said, talk is cheap until a move is made. The Wolves have scouted these players assuming they could pick at any spot in the NBA Draft. Getting to the top of the draft could cost a pretty penny and the Wolves will weigh those options, as well as acquiring assets if they want to move back.
- Be Patient The draft is a process. The Wolves could take someone with potential, who might not be ready to play right away. They might pick someone who is ready to play now. Or they could trade the pick for a player already in the league. There will be plenty of draft grades thrown around after the draft and those are fun and they'll get plenty of #clicks, but it takes time to know the winners and losers of a draft. “We look at the draft as a three or four-year process,” Rosas said.
Draft coverage starts at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. You can find all things Timberwolves and the draft at Timberwolves.com/Draft.