Those who closely follow the Minnesota Timberwolves have speculated about the possibility of the team moving their first-round pick in June's draft amid their pursuit of a star and the desire to save money. Recently, Jake Fischer reported that this is indeed a strong possibility.
"The Stein Line has learned that Minnesota is very much in conversation to move its No. 28 selection, with rival teams saying that the Wolves are searching for another ballhandler to bolster their backcourt. If the Wolves were to move down but not out of the draft completely, league personnel have pegged Sergio de Larrea from Valencia in Spain as a prospect prominent on Minnesota president Tim Connelly's radar," Fischer wrote.
If Connelly trades the Wolves' pick (along with Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert) for a genuine co-star to pair with Anthony Edwards, I think most fans would be happy with this outcome. Still, it would be fun to add another young player. Furthermore, it's unclear what stars the Wolves could land.
Without a doubt, though, trading out of the first-round for future assets or down into the second-round would be controversial. The Wolves could save $1.9 million by trading down into the early second-round.
That might seem insignificant, but in the apron era, these savings matter, especially as the Wolves look to upgrade their roster (possibly bringing a high salary) and given the need to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu. Trading out or down to save money would undoubtedly annoy some fans, though, since the Wolves would be passing on the opportunity to add a first-round talent. Plus, if it's a future-based package, I can't imagine it would be a very lucrative one.
Prominent Timberwolves media members and Jon Krawczynski have long speculated that the team either for a star or to save money. This, in tandem with Fischer's report, makes it seem likely that the Wolves will trade pick 28.
Passing up on a first-round talent could frustrate fans if they don't trade for a star
I do think one common misconception about this draft is that there's no talent in the late first-round. Yes, the pool has been limited by NIL, but it's still a deep class.
Hyper-realistic targets include sharpshooters Meleek Thomas or Isaiah Evans, connective forward Joshua Jefferson, versatile big man Zuby Ejiofor, among others. And there's a chance that a lead guard like Ebuka Okorie, Christian Anderson or Bennett Stirtz falls to 28. The point being, there are a lot of intriguing options at 28 who have plug-and-play potential.
Fischer mentioning Sergio de Larrea as a trade-down target is interesting. The Spaniard is a versatile guard with ideal size and playmaking chops. Listen, if they can get him in the second-round then great. However, after stellar combine measurements (6-foot-6 barefoot, 6-foot-9 wingspan), de Larrea is seen as a riser and a possible first-round pick.
The real talent drop off to me happens after the first few second-round picks. As such, by trading down, the Wolves could really be limiting their chances of finding a long-term contributor, even if they are saving money. And yes, Chris Finch typically doesn't play rookies, but if they draft a ready-made prospect, he could change his ways.
Again, if the Wolves trade this pick as part of a package for a star, that would be generally popular among fans.
Nevertheless, it's hard to pinpoint what player the Wolves could land and thus, if the Wolves do trade this pick, it might simply be a financially-based decision. Whether you love it or hate it, six days away from the draft, it feels somewhat unlikely that the Wolves will use their No. 28 pick.
