After Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac, one of the next most talked about prospects in Minnesota is Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen, a freshman forward, averaged 15.6 points on 49.2 percent shooting with nine games of 20 or more points. His offensive skillset alone makes him worthy of a lottery selection in the modern NBA.
Why Would Markkanen be a Good Fit in Minnesota?
Markkanen’s shooting ability makes him an interesting frontcourt partner for Karl-Anthony Towns. The Finnish seven-footer shot 42.3 percent from behind the 3-point line in his only season with the Wildcats. Selecting Markkanen would give head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau a strong rotation of three big men who can all stretch the floor to varying degrees. Towns and Gorgui Dieng combined to shoot 36.8 percent from behind the arc, while making a total of 117 3-pointers in the 2016-17 season. Markkanen made 69 3-pointers in his 35 college games. He has also shown the ability to step out beyond the college 3-point line, so transitioning to the NBA distance should not be a huge concern.
Where would he fit on the current roster?
Rotational-wise, Markkanen would likely slide in on Minnesota’s bench unit that ranked 30th in scoring — by a wide margin — in the NBA with 22.8 points per game. His ability to stretch the floor would help keep him on the floor to play with either Towns or Dieng. Offensively, Markkanen has a very high ceiling, which makes him an intriguing option for the Wolves to consider.
Why Would Markkanen Not be a Good Fit in Minnesota?
While Markkanen would check the “shooting” box on Thibodeau’s wish list, he would likely fall short to meet the head coach’s demands defensively. He has the size and athleticism that could convince Thibodeau that he could make it work, but the results weren’t quite there in college. He averaged 7.2 rebounds and just 0.5 blocks per game, neither is anything to get too excited about. After having the 27th ranked defense despite playing at the 25th fastest pace, it is entirely possible Thibodeau will pass on any prospect that would be a work-in-progress, at best, on the defensive end.
Will he be Available at the Seventh Pick?
Nearly every mock draft is dominated by point guards and small forwards in the top six picks. While one “off-the-board” pick can change everything, it would be pretty surprising to see Markkanen off the board before the Wolves are on the clock.
