It's hard to find productive players at the end of the second-round in the NBA Draft; this is especially the case with the No. 59 pick. The Minnesota Timberwolves might have found a gem in Trey Kaufman-Renn, though.
Despite all the (understandable) dialogue about how Chris Finch doesn't play young players, it's worth noting that we've seen late-second-round picks, including Jaylen Clark, recently, earn real minutes with the Wolves.
I don't want to get too ahead of my skis here again. Kaufman-Renn was nearly the last pick of the draft after all. Regardless, with ideal positional size, interior scoring and tenacious rebounding, Kaufman-Renn has a path to carving out an NBA role.
It's an uphill battle for a late second-round pick who is entering a winning team, but surprises can happen.
Furthermore, the Wolves could use a forward who plays with physicality off their bench and there's a chance TKR can eventually earn some minutes. Given where he was drafted, he will likely earn a two-way contract, but it's possible he shows off some promise and earns some spot minutes at some point during the next couple of seasons.
Trey Kaufman-Renn could carve out an NBA role with the Timberwolves
A four-year player with Purdue, Kaufman-Renn blossomed into an ultra-productive college player in his last two seasons. He closed things out by averaging 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. It's worth noting he also averaged 20.1 points as a junior.
Sometimes teams overthink things with these ultra-productive college players and they fall too far in the draft. Hopefully, that's the case with Kaufman-Renn.
Kaufman-Renn is a bruising inside scorer with great touch, footwork and feel. His ability to punish mismatches and solid ball-handling could help him translate to the NBA-level to some capacity. Without a doubt, Kaufman-Renn's ball-handling and overall feel for the game should help his transition to the NBA level. TKR's physicality and strength also allow him to be a plus defender on the ball.
Now, his lack of a jumpshot and athletic profile does offer cause for pause. Regardless, neither skill is a dealbreaker for his NBA career.
Kaufman-Renn is walking into a situation where virtually nothing is expected of him. If he can become a contributor at any capacity for the Wolves, that's a win and it would make him a genuine steal considering how late he was drafted. Thankfully, there's enough intrigue with Kaufman-Renn that makes this a possibility.
This, paired with Minnesota's earlier second-round pick, Isaiah Evans, looking like a clear steal, the 2026 draft could go down as a highly successful one for the Wolves.
