2015 Draft Review: Minnesota Timbewolves

2015-16 Depth Chart

PG: Ricky Rubio/Tyus Jones/Lorenzo Brown

SG: Kevin Martin/Zach LaVine

SF: Andrew Wiggins/Shabazz Muhammad/Chase Budinger

PF: Gorgui Dieng/Adreian Payne/Anthony Bennett

C: Karl Towns/Nikola Pekovic

2015 Free Agents

PF Kevin Garnett

G Gary Neal

G Jorge Gutierrez (RFA)

C Arinze Onuaku (RFA)

C Justin Hamilton (RFA)

F Robbie Hummel (RFA)

What They Did On Draft Night

Drafted Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns 1st overall

The obvious pick and the correct one. Towns and Andrew Wiggins give Minnesota a pair of the most promising two-way players in the NBA both under the age of 21. The next step for Minnesota is filling out the roster around them and Ricky Rubio. Zach LaVine has shown that he can make 3s and score in transition, so his long-term fit at shooting guard seems solid. At power forward Adreian Payne needs to get the range he showed in college back or else he'll top out as an energy/defense big man off of the bench and Minnesota will need to find a more suitable power forward to play next to Towns. They seem to have given up on Anthony Bennett, but there is still a lot of talent there if a team can get him in shape and taking (and hopefully making) smart shots. Minnesota's top priority should be finding shooters to space the floor and another ball-handler/creator on the perimeter. With their next pick, Minnesota did just that.

Drafted Duke point guard Tyus Jones 24th overall

The Timberwolves used their two second round picks (31 and 36) to trade with Cleveland into the first round and select Jones. In the upper two-thirds of the first round, a player like Jones who is a below-average NBA athlete, is a risk but at this point that is mitigated because the expectation of Jones is to just be a very good backup to Ricky Rubio, which is what he is best suited to do. With LaVine clearly better suited playing off the ball, Minnesota had a need for a back-up point guard and because of their post-up heavy offense, a guard that can shoot and knows how to feed the post would be ideal. Jones fits that description very well, in his lone season at Duke Jones shot 38% on threes and 89% from the line, suggesting he can be an above-average shooter in the NBA. At Duke, Jones played with the best post player in the country, Jahlil Okafor, and was very good getting him the ball in the correct spots. Jones is also a polished ball-handler who always seems to make the correct decisions in the pick-and-roll; a Jones/Towns pick-and-pop could be a devastating attack to sustain offense when Rubio is on the bench. Therefore it is easy to see how Jones fits in Minnesota on the offensive end, and though defense is Jones' biggest weakness that should be mitigated some as Wiggins, LaVine, Payne, and Towns develop into the above-average or better defenders they have the potential to. This isn't a high upside pick because Jones is physically limited, but he fits what Minnesota wants to do and should be a quality backup for them. Jones, a Minnesota native, also provides the Wolves with some free local good will.

What to do next?

Assuming that Minnesota brings back Kevin Garnett as a player/mentor, they should be relatively quite in the free agent market because they have a lot of young players that need to get playing time and not a ton of pressure to win now. When Towns and Wiggins are ready to carry this team to the next level and they have one or two more lottery picks in the fold, perhaps next year, most likely 2017, that's when Minnesota should be filling holes with veterans and spending free agent money. This summer, their focus should be finding trade partners for Pekovic, Martin, and Bennett, looking for future assets or a more established back-up veteran or two in order to keep the team from becoming Garnett and the Muppet babies.

A bonus trade sure to never happen

Kevin Martin to Memphis for Courtney Lee

OR

Nikola Pekovic to Milwaukee for O.J. Mayo

Follow me on Twitter @double_tech

2015 Draft Preview: Dallas Mavericks

2015-16 Depth Chart

PG: Devin Harris

SG: ???

SF: Chandler Parsons

PF: Dirk Nowitzki/Dwight Powell

C: ???

2015 Free Agents

C Bernard James (RFA)

F Al-Farouq Aminu (player option)

G J.J. Barea 

C Tyson Chandler

G Monta Ellis (player option)

PG Raymond Felton (player option)

SF Richard Jefferson

PG Rajon Rondo

C Greg Smith

PF Amar'e Stoudemire

F Charlie Villanueva

2015 Draft Picks

1-21

2-22(52)

Team Needs

With eleven free agents, many who will not return, the Mavericks are once again in position to remake their roster this offseason, leaving their team needs up in the air. The Mavericks typically don't play rookies much, but this season they might have to. Even if they don't, it would make sense to target someone they think can be worth more than where they are drafted and develop them for a year or two to be part of the Mavericks post-Dirk rebuild. Point guard is a clear spot that could be upgraded, though Rick Carlisle has been hard on point guards of the past, finding a young, smart lead guard to be molded and learn the system while a stop-gap veteran fills in for a year or two. 

Potential Fits

The point guard that seemed to "get" playing for Carlise, was Jameer Nelson and there are two point guards in this draft that are similar to Nelson in that they don't overwhelm with athletic ability but are heady players with good understanding the nuances of the game. Duke's Tyus Jones and Murray State's Cameron Payne could both be starting quality players if given a year to absorb what Dallas wants to do. Both can make outside shots and would be excellent running the Maverick pick-and-roll/pop offense. If neither are available or if Dallas doesn't want to develop a young point gaurd, then the frontcourt should be their next area of concern. UNLV Christian Wood, Kentucky's Trey Lyles, UCLA's Kevon Looney, and Chris McCullough of Syracuse all have potential to eventually replace at least a tiny part of what Dirk's shooting gives their offense. In the second round, a shooter would be nice for depth as would a solid, reliable fifth big man type. Due to the fact that Dallas currently doesn't have an shooting guards on their roster, R.J. Hunter of Georgia State should be in consideration. His ability to shoot should make him useful off of the bench.

Mock Draft

21. Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State

52. Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky

Follow me on Twitter @double_tech

2015 Draft Preview: Washington Wizards

2015-16 Depth Chart

PG: John Wall/Ramon Sessions

SG: Bradley Beal/Martell Webster

SF: Otto Porter Jr.

PF: Nene/Kris Humphries/DeJuan Blair

C: Marcin Gortat

2015 Free Agents

SF Rasual Butler

PG Will Bynum

PF Drew Gooden

F Paul Pierce (player option)

C Kevin Seraphin

G Garrett Temple (player option)

2015 Draft Picks

1-19

2-19(49)

Team Needs

Washington has three clear needs no what happens with Paul Pierce; whether he picks up his option or not, Washington clearly needs a stretch-four to make this offense work at an above-average level. Pierce can fill that role if he returns, but it will become a need again next summer, so why not address it now and give your player a year in the system before you really need them? Backup point guard is another area Washington can upgrade, Ramon Sessions can be useful, but he is a limited player. Because John Wall is so big and can defend shooting guards, a high quality backup guard could play alongside him and kill two birds its one stone because backup shooting guard is also an area of concern.

Potential Fits

Several power forwards in the middle of the first round have potential to be a perimeter power forward including UCLA's Kevon Looney, UNLV's Christian Wood, Arkansas's Bobby Portis, and Trey Lyles of Kentucky. All four could be off the board when Washington pick, but it is likely at least one might be available. Looney and Wood are also long and athletic with shotblocking upside, while Portis is a physical, positional defender who is the best overall offensive player of the bunch. Lyles is interesting, he has great size but isn't a good athlete and despite a reputation otherwise, he was an awful shooter last season. Lyles carries the most risk of the group, but still would have to be considered because if his shooting rounds into form you'd have exactly what you need. Tyus Jones of Duke and Cameron Payne of Murray State are the two point guards most likely to be available when the Wizards pick. Both are similar in that they lack above-average size/physical tools yet have a lot of skills you like as a point guards. Both are good shooters, can see the floor, and are willing passers. Both would likely be an upgrade over Sessions. Another place Washington should look to improve is their depth at shooting guard, with only the oft-injured Martell Webster to back up Bradley Beal, who has been hurt some himself. R.J. Hunter of Georgia State is an ideal fit because he'll give Washington an additional shooting option that can fill in spacing the floor with Beal on the bench. An intersting second round option for the Wizards is Iowa forward Aaron White, who was a very efficient player that shot 36% from three last season.

Mock Draft

19. R.J. Hunter, SG, 

49. Aaron White, PF, Iowa

2015 Draft Preview: Houston Rockets

2015-16 Depth Chart

PG: Pablo Prigioni/Nick Johnson

SG: James Harden

SF: Trevor Ariza/Kostas Papanikolau

PF: Terrence Jones/Donatas Motiejunas

C: Dwight Howard/Clint Capela/Joey Dorsey

2015 Free Agents

PG Patrick Beverly (RFA)

F K.J. McDaniels (RFA)

SG Corey Brewer

PF Josh Smith

PG Jason Terry

2015 Draft Picks

1-18 via New Orleans

2-2(32)

Team Needs

GM Daryl Morey are always active in free agency and trades, so it's hard to really predict what Houston's roster needs are really going to be because of how dramatically things can change for them. However, you can see at least that point guard is a place they could could look to address simply because Patrick Beverly is coming off an injury, Jason Terry is a free agent and both he and Pablo Prigioni are older than dirt. Another reason Houston could look to upgrade James Harden's workload. Last season he was frequently the only perimeter player on the floor really able to create anything, which led to an MVP-caliber season but also is probably not tenable on the long term and hurt them in the playoffs. Corey Brewer is a free agent, so a high energy wing player could be another direction they look, as is a versatile big man if Josh Smith moves on.

Potential Fits

There are three main point guard prospects that could possibly be available when Houston picks in the first round: Duke's Tyus Jones, Murray State's Cameron Payne, and Notre Dame's Jerian Grant. Of those three, Grant makes the most sense for Houston because he is the best defender yet is still capable of being a primary playmaker. The case you could make for Jones or Payne is that while Grant is a good shooter off the dribble, his spot-up game is behind the other two. He is also the oldest by a couple years, but is clearly the most ready to contribute as well which should matter more to a team like Houston who is firmly in their championship window. With their early second rounder, Houston can target depth along the frontline or take a shot on a European player to develop overseas. 

Mock Draft

18. Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame

32. Nikola Milutinov, C Partizan

Follow me on Twitter @double_tech

2015 Draft Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder

2015-16 Depth Chart

PG: Russell Westbrook/D.J. Augustin

SG: Anthony Morrow/Dion Waiters/Jeremy Lamb

SF: Kevin Durant/Andre Roberson/Josh Huestis/Steve Novak

PF: Serge Ibaka/Nick Collison/Perry Jones III

C: Steven Adams/Mitch McGary

2015 Free Agents

C Enes Kanter (RFA)

SF Kyle Singer (RFA)

2015 Draft Picks

1-14

2-18(48)

Team Needs

Oklahoma City's biggest need is to stay healthy for a whole season and with their rotation next year essentially set, any player they draft is likely to be only a bit player at first (unless those pesky injuries strike again). Because of this, Oklahoma City will be looking down the line for needs that may pop up in the future. Next summer D.J. Augustin, Dion Waiters, and Jeremy Lamb could all depart in free agency, leaving Oklahoma City thin in the backcourt. It can't be ruled out that Oklahoma City would use some of their myriad pieces to trade up for a first year impact prospect, they could also trade down or out of the first round altogether.

Potential Fits

Assuming that Oklahoma City is thinking backcourt, there are four main prospects in their range to look at: Duke's Tyus Jones, Murray State's Cameron Payne, Notre Dame's Jerian Grant, and Kentucky's Devin Booker. Jones, Payne, and Grant are all point guards; Jones is the best pure playmaker, but he has questions about his ability to defend and finish, not unlike Augustin. Payne is a good combination of scoring and playmaking, but also has similar size and defense questions. Grant is the best of the three right now (also the oldest) because he can defend either guard spot, but also legitimately play point guard full time if needed. Booker is a better shooter than all three, but isn't a point guard. At just 18 he has the most upside and could be groomed for a year as Anthony Morrow-insurance before taking a bigger role next season. New coach Billy Donovan will want players who can space the floor and move the ball, both of which Booker can do.

Mock Draft

14. Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

48. Cedi Osman, SF, Andolu Efes

Follow me on Twitter @double_tech