How Should We Feel About the Wolves Draft Picks?

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the 2022 NBA Draft with 4 picks to be used. Those picks were picks 19, 40, 48, and 50. As the night went on, there wasn’t much action in the top 10 of the draft. Then, things started to get moving. Minnesota ended up the night with four players being selected, but the path was not as straightforward as it may sound. The Wolves did not use any of their first three picks, but rather did a slew of trades to eventually end up with selections 22, 26, 45, and 50.

Hosts Brendan Hedtke and Doug West are here to break down the picks and give their quick reactions on the latest episode of Bleav in Timberwolves.

Here is a quick synopsis of the night:

With their first pick, Minnesota took Auburn Center Walker Kessler. Kessler was certainly not a fan favorite, but does fill a number of holes in a Timberwolves team that lacks size, rim protection, and rebounding. Kessler was the 2021-22 National Defensive Player of the Year and averaged over 4 blocks per game at Auburn.

Next, the Wolves found themselves with the 26th pick. They used this slot to select Duke wing Wendell Moore Jr. Moore played three seasons for the Blue Devils and Coach K. He improved each year and looks to be a potential 3-and-D type player in the NBA. He is slightly undersized as a wing, standing 6-foot-5, but he makes up for that with his strength and wingspan, which stretches over 7 feet. He also is a solid playmaker, which might be his best skill.

In the second round, the Wolves traded back from pick 40 to pick 45 to collect some future draft capital. They ended up taking Josh Minott with that selection. Minott is a great athlete and plays with a ton of energy at 6-foot-9, but his offensive game is nearly a blank slate. There will be a lot to do on that side of the ball before he sniffs rotation minutes.

Finally, the Timberwolves took Matteo Spagnolo from Italy at #50. Spagnolo will likely be a draft-and-stash player for a year or two. He’s been dubbed the “Italian Ricky Rubio” due to his finesse playmaking. He has also shown to be a solid shooter, but lacks a lot of athleticism and defensive prowess.

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