Timberwolves Press: Minnesota Timberwolves Draft Coverage, Mock Draft

Wolves 2009 Draft Picks
First Round:
#6, #18, #28
Second Round:
#45, #47

Mock Draft 6/22/09
1		Blake Griffin PF Oklahoma 6/16-Pretty easy choice here, the Clips will go for the best player in draft, Griffin, who should put them on the brink on the playoffs if the team can stay healthy.
2		Ricky Rubio PG Spain 6/16-I dont think Rubio will be in Memphis, but I think someone will trade up and snag him at #2. Jennings has done a wonderful job of lowering Rubio's stock as of late as there are rumors now that he will fall. At the end of the day, Rubio does offer the best potential out of any of the other point guards and that is why he is worth trading up for. Not to mention, the guy will help a struggling team sell tickets, cough Wolves.
3		Hasheem Thabeet C UConn 6/16-If the Thunder take Thabeet here, they will have one the best young cores the NBA has seen in years as he would join Westbrook, Durant, and Green. Thabeet would give them the inside presence they need on the defensive end. Plain and simple, he fills a need for them at center. Rumors also have Harden and Curry going here, but I dont see it.
4		Jonny Flynn PG Syracuse 6/21- I expect the Kings to have a surprise pick here if Rubio does not fall to them. Flynn may be a bit of a reach here, but the difference between picks 4-13 is not much.
5		James Harden SG Arizona State 6/16-The Wizards are playoff team if they are healthy. The #5 pick doesn't really offer them too much value here as this draft is pretty weak after the top 3 picks. Look for them to trade this pick or select a guy like Harden who is NBA ready and reminds me a lot of Brandon Roy. With Arenas always injured, they could also go for a combo guard here like Holiday, Curry or Evans if he is available.
6		Tyreke Evans PG Memphis 6/21- Evans had a spectacular workout with the Wolves and I expect that workout to secure Evans a spot at #6 where he should excel with Big Al and Co.
7		Jordan Hill PF Arizona 6/16-The Warriors have so many guards and small forwards I wish they would donate some to the Wolves. This is a tough call here because the Warriors usually dont have a typical power forward, but I think Hill offers enough value here for the Warriors to recognize that he could help out their low post game.
8		Stephen Curry PG Davidson 6/21- Curry fits D'Antoni's offense perfectly and should star in New York as a shooting guard next to Nate Robinson.
9		DeMar DeRozan G/F USC 6/21- DeMar should remind Raptor fans of a guard they acquired on draft day back in 1998, Vince Carter. DeRozan has the potential to be VC type player and is worth the gamble at #9.
10		Ty Lawson PG UNC 6/21- Lawson may be the best pure point guard in the draft and a lot of teams will regret not taking him on draft day.
11		James Johnson SF Wake Forest 6/16-Johnson could help Nets fans forget about Richard Jefferson with his long frame and athleticism. His stock is really rising and he could go as high to the Knicks.
12		Gerald Henderson SG Duke 6/16-Henderson is also a pretty big question mark, however he would be a nice fit in Charlotte where there would be no pressure to start right away and he could learn from the best SG in NBA history, Michael Jordan.
13		Brandon Jennings PG International 6/21- I expect Jennings to be hanging around at the end of the lottery and he will most likely be a Pacer if Lawson is gone here.
14		Earl Clark F Louisville 6/21-Maybe not the ideal pick for the Suns, but it's time to move on from the "Run and Go" style and try something else. Clark could make Suns fans forget they ever had Shawn Marion.
18		Austin Daye SF Gonzaga 6/21- There is a rumor going around that Daye will not slip past 18. I don't believe the Wolves have given any guarantees yet, but Daye would make sense here to help make up for the Brewer mistake in 2007.
28		Patrick Mills PG St. Mary's 6/21- Mills offers some security in case one of the point guards the Wolves draft earlier in the draft does not pan out. Mills would be a lottery pick in 2010 had he stayed in the draft.
45		Jodie Meeks SG Kentucky 6/21- One of my favorite players in the draft, unfortunately for him, he will fall into the 2nd round. I think Meeks will be an effective role player on a team and he would fit nice off the Wolves bench at shooting guard.4
47		Robert Dozier F Memphis 6/21- Dozier may be a bit of a tweener, but is also one of the draft's most mature players and at #47 would be a great selection.

Top Prospects Most Likely To Be T'Wolves
Ricky Rubio PG International 1990
Height- 6'3" Weight- 180

Why He Would Work
Rubio fills a need at PG for the Wolves and also gives them a big name player that can help sell seats. Rubio is a global phenom and his potential is sky high. The Wolves need a crafty ball handler like Rubio to bring some spark to their offense. Rubio would instantly make everyone around him better with his ability to drive and dish. He has the natural point guard instincts that only come around once every decade.

Why He Would Not
The adjustment to the NBA may not be a easy one for Rubio. It seems that Rubio is a bit picky when it comes to what teams he wants to play for and so far the Wolves are not on his list. Rubio could just be another young over hyped Shaun Livingston type point guard as he is still pretty unproven and his body does not currently fit the NBA standard for a PG. Like Brandon Jennings said, is he a bit overrated?

Best Case Scenario- Pete Maravich
Worst Case Scenario- Shaun Livingston

Tyreke Evans PG/SG Memphis Fr.
Height- 6'6" Weight- 195
Evans

Why He Would Work
Evans has the frame at 6'6" and wingspan at 7'3" to play post in this league, however he happens to be a guard and a damn good one. Evans could give the Wolves their first All-Star from the guard position since Sam Cassell back in 2004, he has that much potential. His size allows him to dominate smaller guards and his wing span is very dangerous on defense between passing lanes. A great athlete with the right mind set, Evans could be the perfect fit in Minnesota at shooting guard.

Why He Would Not
Would he make his teammates better like Big Al and K-Love? He isn't exactly a natural point guard and that may be a problem if the Wolves put him at point. His jump shot looks horrible and it is pretty slow in terms of release. His form will need to be adjusted in order to become a better outside shooter in this league. He may be a project for a few years before he develops into a scorer. Evans is also a liability with the ball in his hands and some times plays out of control.

Best Case Scenario- Jamal Crawford
Worst Case Scenario- DeShawn Stevenson

DeMar DeRozan G/F USC Fr.
Height- 6'6" Weight- 211
DeMar

Why He Would Work
The Timberwolves are still looking for that star player who can slash and create opportunities on the offensive end from the small forward position, could DeMar be that guy? Sorry, but Mike Miller just isnt getting the job done and his better days are behind him. DeMar certainly has all the tools to be very successful in this league. In many ways he resembles Vince Carter with his athleticism, and ability to get to the rim. DeRozan offers superstar potential which is something the Wolves should take a serious look at. He is an upgrade in my opinion over Corey Brewer because DeMar can score the basketball. A very smooth player, DeRozan would be a nice fan pick who could get fans excited about the 09-10 season.

Why He Would Not
DeMar is not a sure thing in many scouts views. He had a average season at USC, then again it is USC and he was only a freshman. Some wonder if he has what it takes to excel at the next level. The Wolves are pretty stacked with guys around 6'8" who can shoot the open jump shot, so DeMar may not fill an immediate need for the Wolves.

Best Case Scenario- Vince Carter
Worst Case Scenario- Gerald Green

Stephen Curry PG Davidson Jr.
Height- 6'3" Weight- 180
Curry

Why He Would Work
Let's face it, the Timberwolves badly need perimeter shooting and Curry would immediately fix that problem. The Wolves have a great shooter in Mike Miller, however he never pulls the trigger. Curry is one of the purest shooters to come in the league in years. What makes Curry even more intriguing is that he can play point guard, a position the Wolves desperately need. Curry is also a very clutch player and very effective shooting off screens. A very solid ball handler, Curry has the potential to be an all-star point guard in this league.

Why He Would Not
Unlike a guy like Rubio, Curry is a shoot first point guard. The Wolves need a point guard who can distribute the ball and create penetration. Would Curry be another Al Jefferson type player who only looks for his shot? His size is a question and scouts are still unsure if he will be effective at getting his shot off in this league. Curry recently canceled his work out with the Wolves which may be a sign that he has no interest in playing here. One thing we need badly, is players that want to be here. If Curry comes in with a bad attitude, things could get rocky fast.

Best Case Scenario- Ray Allen/Tony Parker
Worst Case Scenario- Eddie House

Brandon Jennings PG International 1989
Height- 6'1" Weight- 170

Why He Would Work
Jennings is an explosive point guard who is a step above the rest of the competition in terms of experience as he played overseas against some of Europe's top players. An incredible ball handler and distributer, Jennings reminds me of a young Damon Stoudemire. Jennings would be a nice fit in Minnesota for one main reason, his ability to penetrate. A tough nosed guy, Jennings could get Big Al and K-Love a lot of easy buckets down low. Jennings has the potential to run a fast paced offense in the NBA and be a 8-10 assist guy a night.

Why He Would Not
Like Curry, there are questions about his size and strength. We know Jennings can handle the ball and dish with ease, but can he be a scoring threat? Will he develop a reliable jump shot? Jennings does have a bit of an attitude and is never afraid to speak his mind. In some ways he may be to similar to Sebastian Telfair for the Wolves to select. Jennings style of play may not exactly fit the Timberwolves system, he may be better suited in a faster paced offense like the Suns, Knicks or Warriors.

Best Case Scenario- Damon Stoudemire/Kenny Anderson
Worst Case Scenario- Sebastian Telfair

James Harden SG Arizona State So.
Height- 6'5" Weight- 222
Harden

Why He Would Work
Harden reminds me a lot of guy the Wolves drafted in 2006, Brandon Roy. He has sneaky athleticism and is a total team guy at the SG position. If you want a guy who can impact your team right away, you want Harden. The Wolves do not have a SG, they have a lot of combo guards. Harden would fill that void right away as he is a natural shooting guard with an excellent stroke from the wing. A reliable 3-point shooter, Harden would fit nice alongside Mike Miller and Co. out on the perimeter.

Why He Would Not
There are questions about his potential and if he will get much better in the NBA. His game is pretty one dimensional from the wing, he is just an average slasher. While he does have sneaky athleticism, he does not offer anything real special in terms of athleticism, he wont be a highlight type player. He does not fill an immediate need for the Wolves, but he would push Randy Foye for playing time at SG. Harden also seems to have no interest in playing for the Wolves as he has only worked out for the top 5 teams in the draft.

Best Case Scenario- Brandon Roy
Worst Case Scenario- Antoine Wright

Jonny Flynn PG Syracuse So.
Height- 6'0" Weight- 196
Flynn

Why He Would Work
Flynn is quite the specimen at the point guard position. He has that natural ability to take over games and we saw that last year at Syracuse. His explosiveness is off the charts and he does an excellent job getting to the rim. His jump shot is underrated and will continue to improve. Flynn would give the Wolves a relentless worker at point guard and a guy who would create match up problems all night long for teams with slower point guards.

Why He Would Not
My question about Flynn is did he come out to early? I'm not sure he is ready for the NBA game quite yet, but he has looked very solid in pre-draft workouts. Size is also a question for Flynn as he is barely 6'0". If he does not develop a reliable jump shot, he may have a hard time scoring in this league. Another question I have is can he run a half-court offense or is he best suited for a run and go offense?

Best Case Scenario- Gary Payton
Worst Case Scenario- Brevin Knight

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