All Things 2024 Minnesota Timberwolves Off-Season Thread

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Slim Tubby said:
I'm holding out hope for Terrance Shannon Jr because he could help our offense immediately and can really put pressure on the ball defensively, too.

When my dream dies, I'm rolling with these guesses:
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Dreams do come true - thanks for Wishing on a ⭐️

Oh and also -



Slim Tubby said:
27. SF Baylor Scheierman (Creighton)
*** Kyle Anderson replacement with much more offense and much less defense

37. PG KJ Simpson (Colorado)
*** Young PG prospect that hopefully develops in the G League for a year
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I hope they hold on to Shannon. I think they drafted the two most polished backcourt scorers and it's hard to imagine that either of them won't be rotation-level players in the NBA.
 



Wolves still have an extremely fun young core too.

Shannon is older than Edwards and McDaniels and only 6 months younger than Naz Reid.

It'll be interesting to see if we end up getting anything out of Miller and/or Minott.
 









Slim Tubby said:
Before I claim victory, I would like to remind everyone that I once believed selecting James Wiseman over Edwards was the prudent choice.
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I did too. I was big on Wiseman and thought Edwards was a stat-filler due to being on a bad college team. Very glad to be wrong.
 

the 'experts' at The Athletic were not real high on the Shannon pick.

they generally liked Dillingham, but had questions about how he would hold up defensively given his lack of size/strength. still, they said he could be a great 6th man coming off the bench to provide offense. the top analyst had Dillingham ranked 15th on his 'big board.'

but - the same analyst had Shannon ranked 39th. quote: "I'm not sure his style of play was conducive to NBA success." both people giving draft grades said Shannon is a good defender who can score in transition, but is an inconsistent shooter and turns the ball over too much.

so we'll see how it turns out.
 

I looked through several 1st round pick by pick grade articles. What is the point of doing those if 95% of the grades are an A or B? Like the write up will say something like it was a reach pick and they question if the player's game will translate to the NBA. But then still give the pick a B. Like what?
 



USA Today:

8. Minnesota Timberwolves (via San Antonio Spurs), Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky​

Kentucky's other guard is another impressive shooter from deep and a skilled playmaker. But his size at 6-foot-1 and 164 pounds would make him one of the smallest guards in the league.

Grade: B. Dillingham lands with one of the best defensive teams in the league, reducing concerns on that end. His dynamic shooting should help Minnesota, who ranked 23rd in the league in three-point attempts per game last season.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves, Terrence Shannon, F, Illinois​

One of the older wings in the draft, the 23-year-old Shannon improved as an efficient scorer from the free throw line as a senior. He's a proven defender as well with athleticism and bulk to handle NBA scorers.

Grade: B+. Minnesota's ready to contend after a trip to the conference finals last season. Shannon fits well within the Timberwolves' defensive ethos and can produce on offense in an efficient role.
www.usatoday.com

2024 NBA draft: Grades and analysis for every round 1 pick

The NBA draft dominated the night. Here are the grades and analysis for every pick. See who won the first round.
www.usatoday.com
 

GophersInIowa said:
I looked through several 1st round pick by pick grade articles. What is the point of doing those if 95% of the grades are an A or B? Like the write up will say something like it was a reach pick and they question if the player's game will translate to the NBA. But then still give the pick a B. Like what?
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You think there should be a lot of C to F grades in the 1st round of the draft? I've seen 4-5 in most of the summaries. Wonder how many C-F grades are given for the NFL 1st Round? The MLB Draft? Don't know about that but I'd think that most of the analysts for that draft haven't seen the majority of the draftees play.
 
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27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois​

  • Grade: B+
The Timberwolves have repaired their backcourt depth in one draft. After trading for a bucket-getter in Dillingham at No. 8, they land another prolific scorer in Shannon at No. 27.

Shannon is an explosive wing with a strong build and quick first step. He has elite body control to finish through contact at the rim and improved to shoot 36.2 percent from 3 this past season.

Shannon is one of the few NBA-ready products in this class.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves (via SAS): Rob Dillingham, Kentucky​

  • Grade: B+
The Timberwolves acquired Dillingham from the Spurs for a 2030 first-round pick swap and unprotected 2031 first-round pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Minnesota struggled to find backcourt contributors beyond Anthony Edwards, Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker last season. Dillingham is a prolific shot creator and the best isolation scorer in this draft class. He will provide instant offense for a win-now team looking to return to the Western Conference Finals and beyond next season.

www.sportingnews.com

NBA Draft grades 2024: Live results and analysis for every pick in Rounds 1-2 | Sporting News Canada

Follow along as Sporting News' Kyle Irving hands out live grades with expert analysis on every 2024 NBA Draft pick from Rounds 1-2.
www.sportingnews.com www.sportingnews.com
 

8. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Spurs and Raptors): PG Rob Dillingham, Kentucky


This is a really high-risk, high-reward pick for Minnesota, which traded for the pick during the draft from the Spurs. Dillingham is a dynamic offensive talent but comes with questions, particularly about his size and defense. He was rated in the bottom 1% for most of the season as a defender -- until he fell to the 0% by the end of it. The things he can do with a basketball cannot be taught, but he needs to get his body to an NBA level. But it's worth noting that he makes a lot of sense as a secondary creator next to Anthony Edwards, one of the true rising stars of the league. Grade: B
27. Minnesota Timberwolves: SF Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois

He was one of the best players in college basketball last year but will need to adapt to a big change in role after all his freedom. But the offensive burst he brings to the table is real, and he is an NBA player right now. The shot will need to hold up, but the talent is there and so is the polish. Grade: B+
 

Minnesota Timberwolves: B+

Rob Dillingham (8), Terrence Shannon Jr. (27)

Minnesota parted with a pick swap in 2030 and a 2031 unprotected first in order to bring Dillingham in after San Antonio selected him. Mike Conley will continue to be Minnesota’s starting point guard, but Dillingham should be able to immediately slide into the backup role and play big minutes off the bench in year one. He’s an exciting offensive player, and the rest of the team should be able to offset his defensive deficiencies. If this pick works out, Dillingham and Anthony Edwards should be an elite duo when the draft picks come around. As long as Minnesota is still competitive as a team, this wasn’t a high price to get a top 10 pick in this draft. Shannon Jr. had a big season for Illinois last year, and while his role will be different for Minnesota, he was a solid pickup at the end of the first round. He’s an older prospect, which hopefully means that he will be able to make an early impact.

www.nbcsports.com

2024 NBA Draft Round 1 Grades: Pick by pick analysis

How did your team do in the first round of this year's draft?
www.nbcsports.com www.nbcsports.com
 

8. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Spurs): Rob Dillingham, G​

Grade: B​

Dillingham is one of the best guards with the ball in his hands and can get downhill and put pressure on the rim. There's no doubt that he'll be electric in Minnesota, but his size at 6-foot-2, 164 pounds, is concerning for a lead guard in the NBA.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.​

Grade: A​

Shannon is a three-level scorer who has improved his 3-point shot over the course of his college career, finishing his senior season at Illinois shooting 36.2% from deep. He's an older, experienced guard at 23 who can come in right away and contribute for Minnesota.

sports.yahoo.com

2024 NBA Draft grades: First-round pick-by-pick analysis

Here are Yahoo Sports' complete first-round draft grades.
sports.yahoo.com sports.yahoo.com
 

Rob’s got plenty of time to beef up, especially with pro nutrition and work out plan moving forward.

Also, AI played at 165; not saying he’s the next him, but guys can play at that size if they have elite quickness.
 

didn't realize this until I was browsing the Athletic's draft coverage.

the French invasion is the biggest news. Three of the top six picks were from France, including the first two; of the 14 players to go in the first seven picks in the last two drafts, five have been from France. Overall, a dozen French players have been chosen in the past three drafts, and we’re not even done with this one yet. At least two more could easily be selected in Thursday’s second round.

That seems notable when there were only two rotation players* in the entire NBA from that country — 35-year-old Nic Batum and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert — before last June. Among them is rising superstar Victor Wembanyama, and there’s more on the way: France’s 2025 draft class includes a likely high lottery pick in guard Nolan Traore and two other potential first-rounders in forward Noa Essengue and guard Noah Penda.
 

The Score had grades from A to D


PICKPLAYERPOS.SCHOOL/CLUB
8Rob DillinghamGKentucky
27Terrence Shannon Jr.GIllinois
At times in the Western Conference finals, Timberwolves who weren't Anthony Edwards had issues creating their own shot off the dribble. That issue is immediately addressed by adding Dillingham, the best isolation scorer in the draft. He's extremely thin and a nonfactor defensively, but he's outstanding with the ball in his hands and as an off-the-catch shooter. Meanwhile, Shannon was absurdly productive this season at Illinois as a downhill driver, and his legal issues were resolved ahead of the draft. The pair instantly injects offense for the NBA's best defense.

www.thescore.com

NBA Draft Grades: Instant analysis of every pick

The revised two-day 2024 NBA Draft witnessed 25 teams pick Wednesday with an eye on emerging talent.Here's a look at those 30 selections and some quick-fire reaction in the form of grades for each team.!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void...
www.thescore.com www.thescore.com
 


Iceland12 said:
You think there should be a lot of C to F grades in the 1st round of the draft? I've seen 4-5 in most of the summaries. Wonder how many C-F grades are given for the NFL 1st Round? The MLB Draft? Don't know about that but I'd think that most of the analysts for that draft haven't seen the majority of the draftees play.
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Maybe not a lot. But you think it was a below average pick for the spot and needs of the team, then it should be a C- or worse.
 

Winner: Minnesota Timberwolves​

Tim Connelly just might be a basketball genius. After building a championship foundation with the Denver Nuggets, he reshaped the Minnesota Timberwolves to make this year’s Western Conference finals. And now this offseason is off to a tremendous start. Connelly made an aggressive trade by moving a top-one-protected first-round swap in 2030 and an unprotected first in 2031 for the no. 8 pick in this year’s draft, where the Wolves selected Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham.

After losing to the Dallas Mavericks, the Timberwolves knew they badly needed to add more shot creation before next season, and Dillingham is the best shot creator in the entire class. He’s a shifty presence and is capable of firing jumpers from anywhere. Anthony Edwards alone became a must-watch player during the playoffs. Pair him with Dillingham, and they could be absolutely electric. The Kentucky guard isn’t just a bucket getter. As a freshman, he began developing his playmaking, something that didn’t happen before, when he was with Overtime Elite or Donda Academy. And what’s Dillingham best at as a passer? Throwing lobs. That’s good news for Rudy Gobert.

Mike Conley will turn 37 years old before next season. Dillingham will probably take a back seat at first, but with all of Minnesota’s length protecting his tiny frame on defense, it wouldn’t be a shocker if he’s earning big minutes sooner rather than later.

Oh, by the way: The Wolves also used the no. 27 pick on Terrence Shannon Jr., who averaged 23 points at Illinois this past season and is a relentless downhill attacker. Shannon will provide more creation off Minnesota’s bench, and with his toned 220-pound frame and 6-foot-9 wingspan, he’s displayed flashes of super-versatile defense. There’s a chance that both will immediately be plugged into the Wolves’ rotation.

www.theringer.com

2024 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

From the NBA’s French Revolution to the Wolves-Spurs trade to all the surprising picks, we break down the most notable action from the first round
www.theringer.com www.theringer.com
 

GophersInIowa said:
Maybe not a lot. But you think it was a below average pick for the spot and needs of the team, then it should be a C- or worse.
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That's a fair point. After living through the David Khan years, where he seemingly only drafted players who played the same spot as the few good players he had, that does hurt. Though an NBA team only has a 15 man roster. Drafting a guy who has talent but you already have talent in that spot, giving that player a C- or D seems kinda harsh.

A good GM should be able to figure out a way out of the problem.

Since there are only 2 rounds in the NBA draft compared to 7 in the NHL and NBA drafts talent should be the deciding factor. It's great when, like the Wolves this year, you can get both.
 


coolhandgopher said:
My totally rational and non-hyperbolic brain has me expecting a Tyrese Maxey career arc matched next to Ant for an All-NBA backcourt through the rest of the 2020’s with multiple NBA championships in tow.
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Accept of course you’re totally wrong….

This summer, Ant is gonna do to Jaden, what Jordan did to Pippen. So then we’ll have a Jordan, a Pippen, paured with a superstar PG.

Then, everything you said is gonna happen. And it’s totally rational and non Hyperboilc still.
 



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