Fixing the T-Wolves - Part 10: The Second Pick
This year the Wolves will own a second round pick between 33-35. I don't usually put much stock in the second round, but the Wolves could actually find value this year. Last year's big winner was Boston who got Glen "Big Baby" Davis with the 35th pick. Big Baby was rated #20 by Chad Ford, but fell hard during the draft, and now he is considered the 10th best rookie player. The Wolves could use a success story like that with their second pick. Here are my thoughts (and prayers):
1 - C Roy Hibbert: At one point this year I was ready to use the 3rd pick on him. Last year it is likely McHale would have grabbed him at 7 if he had come out. Needless to say, Hibbert's stock has dropped like a rock. ESPN has him as the #27 prospect and nbadraft.net has him at #25. He could actually slip into the early second round and provide the Wolves a true big man that allows AlJeff to play his preferred position of PF - and he's not a ball hog so AlJeff can do all the scoring. The problem is I have a hard time believing he gets past Seattle at 32. I can make a case for 9 of the 14 picks between 18 and 32 before he drops to the Wolves at 33.
2 - C Robin Lopez: ESPN has him at #31 and draft.net has him #14. What I like about Robin is that he is the rebounding defensive specialist while his brother Brook does all the scoring. This is a nice match with AlJeff. You can make pretty much the same case for Robin from 18-32 that you can for Hibbert - and it would be extra cute if Memphis grabbed Brook at 4 and Robin at 26. I'd be very happy if he fell to the Wolves, but not likely, less so than Hibbert in my opinion.
3 - SF Brandon Rush: Excellent role player who was KU's goto guy when someone had to step up - but his preference is not too. Will probably make an excellent third option in the NBA and the Wovles are weak at SF (Gomes and Brewer, who should be a SG). Very unlikely he falls to the second round. ESPN pegs him at #25 and draft.net at #17.
4 - PF Tyler Hansbrough: Awesome college player, but NBA scouts hate him. My guess is he'll be pretty decent along the lines of Gomes. At the very least, he'd be a capable backup big. ESPN puts him at #29 and draft.net has him going back for his senior year. My guess is Utah or San Antonio will grab him late in the 1st round.
5 - SF Bill Walker: Played second fiddle to Beasley all year, but I'd be willing to bet a 2nd round pick that he's got what it takes to play on his own. ESPN only ranks him at #46 and draft.net says he takes a sophomore season at K-State to show what he's got when he's the man.
6 - SF Chris Douglas-Roberts: His stock is sky high after an incredible NCAA run. Draft.net has him pegged at #19 but ESPN only gives him a #32. The reason I take Walker over CDR is the 30 lbs he gives up - he's just too small too have the same potential as Walker. That being said, I'll take him. I wouldn't be surprised if Memphis uses their pick at 26 or 34 on him.
Some crazy thoughts:
Would San Antonio trading the 27th pick for Ryan Gomes be that ridiculous? Gomes seems like the kind of player with the right character to fit into San Antonio and split time with the ungracefully aging Bruce Bowen. Gomes doesn't have his defensive prowess, but maybe he could free up those minutes for Bowen when the Spurs really need him...
Crazier idea - How about trading Randy Foye, Sebastian Telfair and Antoine Walker (expiring contract to make the money work) for Philly's 17th pick and the last year of PG Andre Miller? Philly probably won't want to let Miller go, but they seem to have some infatuation with Foye. The idea of going young might appeal to them, then again, this is a stretch. Of course the Wolves don't even consider this if they get Rose or can pull off my trade for Conley.
1 - C Roy Hibbert: At one point this year I was ready to use the 3rd pick on him. Last year it is likely McHale would have grabbed him at 7 if he had come out. Needless to say, Hibbert's stock has dropped like a rock. ESPN has him as the #27 prospect and nbadraft.net has him at #25. He could actually slip into the early second round and provide the Wolves a true big man that allows AlJeff to play his preferred position of PF - and he's not a ball hog so AlJeff can do all the scoring. The problem is I have a hard time believing he gets past Seattle at 32. I can make a case for 9 of the 14 picks between 18 and 32 before he drops to the Wolves at 33.
2 - C Robin Lopez: ESPN has him at #31 and draft.net has him #14. What I like about Robin is that he is the rebounding defensive specialist while his brother Brook does all the scoring. This is a nice match with AlJeff. You can make pretty much the same case for Robin from 18-32 that you can for Hibbert - and it would be extra cute if Memphis grabbed Brook at 4 and Robin at 26. I'd be very happy if he fell to the Wolves, but not likely, less so than Hibbert in my opinion.
3 - SF Brandon Rush: Excellent role player who was KU's goto guy when someone had to step up - but his preference is not too. Will probably make an excellent third option in the NBA and the Wovles are weak at SF (Gomes and Brewer, who should be a SG). Very unlikely he falls to the second round. ESPN pegs him at #25 and draft.net at #17.
4 - PF Tyler Hansbrough: Awesome college player, but NBA scouts hate him. My guess is he'll be pretty decent along the lines of Gomes. At the very least, he'd be a capable backup big. ESPN puts him at #29 and draft.net has him going back for his senior year. My guess is Utah or San Antonio will grab him late in the 1st round.
5 - SF Bill Walker: Played second fiddle to Beasley all year, but I'd be willing to bet a 2nd round pick that he's got what it takes to play on his own. ESPN only ranks him at #46 and draft.net says he takes a sophomore season at K-State to show what he's got when he's the man.
6 - SF Chris Douglas-Roberts: His stock is sky high after an incredible NCAA run. Draft.net has him pegged at #19 but ESPN only gives him a #32. The reason I take Walker over CDR is the 30 lbs he gives up - he's just too small too have the same potential as Walker. That being said, I'll take him. I wouldn't be surprised if Memphis uses their pick at 26 or 34 on him.
Some crazy thoughts:
Would San Antonio trading the 27th pick for Ryan Gomes be that ridiculous? Gomes seems like the kind of player with the right character to fit into San Antonio and split time with the ungracefully aging Bruce Bowen. Gomes doesn't have his defensive prowess, but maybe he could free up those minutes for Bowen when the Spurs really need him...
Crazier idea - How about trading Randy Foye, Sebastian Telfair and Antoine Walker (expiring contract to make the money work) for Philly's 17th pick and the last year of PG Andre Miller? Philly probably won't want to let Miller go, but they seem to have some infatuation with Foye. The idea of going young might appeal to them, then again, this is a stretch. Of course the Wolves don't even consider this if they get Rose or can pull off my trade for Conley.
posted by Bill Gilles | 1:36 PM
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