There was a lot of wheeling and dealing during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft. One of the teams who got involved in the maneuvering around the board was the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a successful 2023-24 season. While it ended disappointingly in the Western Conference Finals vs. the Dallas Mavericks, they cemented their status as legitimate contenders in the NBA.
Heading into the offseason, they had a few clear needs. A succession plan for point guard behind Mike Conley Jr. needed to be put in place. Upgrading the scoring punch on their second unit wouldn’t hurt either.
In the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, they completed both. The Minnesota Timberwolves made the biggest move of the night, completing a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.
With that selection, Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham was selected. To acquire that pick, Minnesota sent an unprotected 2031 first-round pick along with a 2030 first-round pick swap to the Spurs.
Some people would say that the price is steep, especially given the overall feeling of this being a weak draft class. But, adding the future picks enabled the Timberwolves to hold onto their No. 27 selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.
With the No. 27 overall pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Terrence Shannon Jr. out of Illinois. An explosive wing scorer, he provides the team with someone who can create offense for himself and could be useful as a bench piece right off the bat.
Given how close to contention the team is, making such an aggressive trade last night made a lot of sense. Dillingham has the skill set to develop into a dynamic playmaker and shot-creator. His lack of defensive impact will be negated with Rudy Gobert anchoring the unit.
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