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NBA • 1 year ago

2015 NBA Draft: 5 Players the Minnesota Timberwolves Should Target

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5 Players the Minnesota Timberwolves Should Target In NBA Draft

Kentucky — The Minnesota Timberwolves have undergone a gradual destruction of their roster, slowly entering a full rebuilding project. Flip Saunders traded away seasoned veterans Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young before the trade deadline, and was engaged in talks to also move Kevin Martin and Chase Budinger. With several roster spots opening up, Minnesota will seek to quickly fill the voids remaining through the NBA Draft.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have undergone a gradual destruction of their roster, slowly entering a full rebuilding project. Flip Saunders traded away seasoned veterans Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young before the trade deadline, and was engaged in talks to also move Kevin Martin and Chase Budinger. With several roster spots opening up, Minnesota will seek to quickly fill the voids remaining through the NBA Draft.

5. Willie Cauley-Stein

5. Willie Cauley-Stein

The 29-year-old Yugoslavian beast owns the paint for the Timberwolves, with his game being primarily predicated on the offensive end. Sure, he clogs the paint, but Minnesota needs a true rim protector to even pair alongside Pekovic. Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein doesn't need the ball in his hands to have an impact, so selecting him in Top 5 would create a tremendous front court tandem.

4. Jahlil Okafor

4. Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor is arguably the best prospect in the 2015 draft and would be a steal for whomever lands him. However, Minnesota simply isn't the best fit for the center because of his unproven rim protection. Okafor is a dominant offensive threat whose footwork and basketball IQ have blown away NBA scouts. If the Timberwolves win the lottery with the first overall pick, the team would be forced to cut ties with Pekovic.

3. D'Angelo Russell

3. D'Angelo Russell

It's highly doubtful shooting guard Kevin Martin is a member of the Timberwolves because of his near million salary and the demand he has drawn from various teams around the league. Martin is even a buyout candidate right now. Given his anticipated movement, the Timberwolves should seek to fill the two guard with D'Angelo Russell, who has been lighting up the scoreboard for Ohio State.

2. Emmanuel Mudiay

2. Emmanuel Mudiay

Scouts take overseas production with a grain of salt, because the talent pool is frankly inferior to that of the NBA's. Still, combo guard Emmanuel Mudiay was set to suit up for SMU this season until eligibility issues prevented him. A bigger guard, Mudiay, would complement Ricky Rubio's facilitating style by adding an offensive threat, both in the paint and from outside.

1. Karl-Anthony Towns

1. Karl-Anthony Towns

If Karl-Anthony Towns maximizes his potential, he could easily manifest into the NBA's next dominant big man. Before he arrived on Kentucky's campus, he was already drawing comparisons to DeMarcus Cousins because of his post moves, but has proven to be a better defender. Towns is far from a finished product, and with the right infrastructure, he and Andrew Wiggins would be a powerful duo to build around.

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Joseph Crevier is a writer for RantSports. Like him on Facebook.

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