On Saturday, the Minnesota Timberwolves hosted guard Labaron Philon for a workout. With the first round of the NBA Draft just two days away, teams are working quickly to prepare their big boards in anticipation of landing someone who hopefully will become a star for their club.
The 20-year-old Philon seems like he would be an instant fit for the Wolves. The team could use more point guard play and outside shooting, and Philon checks both boxes. The problem, though, is that Minnesota doesn’t make a selection until pick No. 28. Does that mean there is a possibility of a trade up in the draft?
Trading up would be required to grab Philon
Nearly all mock drafts have Philon either going late in the lottery or in the next few picks after. Jeremy Woo has him getting selected with the 17th pick. Christopher Kline of FanSided has him going four picks before that.
Obviously, those two and nearly everyone else have Philon going far before the Timberwolves are first on the clock. That leads to speculation that Minnesota could be trading up, because why else would he schedule a workout for a team he has no chance of being available for?
How Minnesota would plan on moving up remains to be seen. Other than their first-round selection this year, the only other first they can trade is far down the line in 2033. Much draft capital was traded away for Rudy Gobert (and to a lesser extent, Rob Dillingham). Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert are two players who are heavily rumored to potentially be moved and could be used to move up.
The Timberwolves have a clear need for a lead guard, which Philon can help fill. A third-team All-American last season as a sophomore at Alabama, the 6-foot-4 guard posted averages of 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals. He also had excellent shooting splits of .501/.399/.798.
Now, Chris Finch isn't necessarily someone notorious for playing rookies a lot. Trading up for Philon could put more pressure on Finch to give him ample time on the floor (although trading for the eighth pick in 2024 didn't pressure Finch to play Rob Dillingham a lot).
Bringing in Philon for a workout should pique the interest of all Wolves fans. How they plan on having a shot at grabbing him remains to be seen, but it has made the draft a little more interesting.
