Following the Minnesota Timberwolves’ underwhelming season, Tim Connelly finally sat down to address the elephant-sized trade in the room during the team’s exit interview press conference last Thursday. After several starter questions regarding the team’s success, or rather lack thereof, Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic asked Connelly whether it remained a focal point to continue to build around franchise cornerstones Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert.
“We really like our starting five,” Connelly answered.
As Tim Connelly uttered those words, any noise surrounding the possibility of any further roster reconstruction were all but silenced, barring a trade involving either Kyle Anderson or Taurean Prince…
But fear not Timberwolves fans, for the 2023 NBA Draft is here!
Yes, after sending out seemingly every future draft selection to acquire the three-time Defensive Player of the Year in Gobert last summer, Connelly and the front office somehow managed to *air quotes* pull a fast one on Danny Ainge and the Utah Jazz by retaining the rights to pick 53 — Minnesota’s second round selection!
Okay, maybe that doesn’t seem like the most exciting thing for fans of the franchise to look forward to. But with Minnesota’s 2023 first round pick now in Utah’s hands, and a lack of flexibility on the team’s cap sheet, a late second prospect will have to suffice. And besides, regardless of what you might think of Connelly given his role in the deal to acquire Gobert, he’s still one of the best POBOs in the NBA when it comes to finding talent in the latter half of the draft.
So with that being said, today we will be looking at three potential draft prospects the Timberwolves could target in the second round of this summer’s draft.
Trey Alexander – SG Creighton
After a standout sophomore season which saw him improve his numbers across the board, Trey Alexander played a key role in the Blue Jays’ run to the Elite Eight. Known primarily for his defense, ranking in Synergy’s 76th percentile in terms of points allowed per possession, Alexander is so much more than just your average hard-nosed defender.
Through 37 games, Alexander averaged 13.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 44.7% from the field, 41.0% from three, and 82.4% from the charity stripe. His numbers might not jump off of the page, but they are more than solid for a 3-and-D prospect who projects to go somewhere in the mid-to-late second round. But through 37 games in his sophomore season, Tre proved to be one of the best floor-spacers in the draft.
- Made 43.2% of his catch-and-shoot threes (90th percentile)
- Shot 37.5% on three-point attempts taken off the dribble
- Knocked down 43.3% of his pull-up mid-range jumpers
Standing 6’4″, Alexander also has the size to play either guard position. Excelling as a pick-and-roll ball handler, Alexander ranked in the 77th percentile in pick-and-roll plays as the lead ball handler this season. For a team looking to make it work with two very distinct bigs in the starting lineup, Alexander could quickly cement himself a spot in Chris Finch’s rotation.
The biggest hole in Alexander’s game comes in the painted area; he only shot 56.3% at the rim and 29.4% in the painted area. But with a long and wiry 190-pound frame, Alexander should be able to pack on some additional size and strength to help with his poor finishing near the basket.
Still, if Minnesota’s coaching staff provides Trey Alexander with ample opportunity to play alongside Rudy Gobert, he could quickly provide the Wolves with another guy who to run spread PnR with. It’s an aspect of the Wolves play that Finch felt the team looked comfortable doing in the final parts of the season.
Brandin Podziemski – G Santa Clara
Coming out of St. John’s Northwestern High in Wisconsin, Brandin Podziemski was deemed by many as the next Tyler Herro. But after spending his freshman season on an Illinois roster filled with upperclassmen, Podziemski would opt to enter his name into the transfer portal. Following the success of future NBA rookie standout Jalen Williams, who saw his name skyrocket up draft boards given his play at Santa Clara University, the left-handed scorer decided to move out west.
Listed at 6’5”, 200 lbs., Podziemski fits the mold of a prototypical NBA two-guard, and he should be at the top of Minnesota’s big board. In his sophomore season with the Broncos, Podziemski put up 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on efficient shooting splits of 48.3/43.8/77.1. With Jaylen Nowell’s season not going according to plan, he’s likely to leave in free agency. Therefore, Podziemski could quickly fill the role of a three-level scorer who could also operate as the team’s secondary playmaker – a role that so many thought Nowell would this past season.
Podziemski’s willingness to crash the glass is another important component of his game. After acquiring Gobert to play alongside KAT, you’d think Minnesota would be one of the better rebounding teams in the league. But given their lack of health throughout the season, the team only managed to secure the 23rd-most rebounds in the association. Enter Podziemski. A player not particularly known for his size or verticality, he managed to secure 8.8 rebounds per contest, a feat only three other players in the NCAA listed at 6’5” or below managed to accomplish.
Defense is the only real knock on Podziemski’s game that I’ve been able to find watching his film. Given his stature, Brandin Podziemski has the tools to be a competent defender at the next level. He’ll need to improve his off-ball awareness, though, especially if he ends up playing alongside Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, two on-ball stoppers.
Look, I’ll be honest. I don’t expect Brandon Podziemski to still be available at pick 53. I’ve seen him mocked as high as 26 and as low as pick 51. But crazier things have happened on draft night. If given the chance of drafting the Wisconsin native, Podziemski should be the obvious choice for Minnesota’s front office, even if it means trading up a few spots to get him.
Ben Sheppard – SG Belmont
A late-riser on many draft boards, Ben Sheppard is the most likely of the three prospects on this list to still be available once the Timberwolves is on the clock. A young senior, Sheppard won’t turn 22 till nearly a month after draft night. Therefore, he fits perfectly with Minnesota’s youthful timeline headlined by Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.
Another marksman from beyond the arc, Sheppard differentiates himself from Alexander and Podziemski with his high-end motor on both ends of the floor. When I first sat down to watch the film on the 6’6″ wing, several things stood out to me:
- His ability to space the floor
- His basketball IQ
- And the fact that he never stops moving.
Let’s first talk about Sheppard’s shooting stroke. In his final season with the Bruins, the 6’6″, 185 lbs. guard put up a whopping 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. He hit 47.5% of his total shots, 41.5% of his attempts from deep, and 68.5% of his free throws. But the way that Sheppard managed to score at Belmont was what really stood out. A reliable catch-and-shoot threat, Sheppard knocked down 49.1% of his C&S threes that were uncontested by opposing defenses. He’s also great at shooting off of the bounce or coming off of a pindown screen — something that separates good shooters from great ones.
But Sheppard is more than just a 3-and-D player.
Although he likely won’t be given significant playmaking duties at the next level, Ben Sheppard developed into a solid passer after Belmont gave them the keys to their offense in his senior season. With a higher-than-average basketball-IQ for a wing, he’s got the opportunity to become a legit floor general for whatever team he ends up with.
The most underrated aspect of Sheppard’s game is his willingness to never stand stagnant. If the ball isn’t in his hands, he still works to get the opposing defense moving, either by cutting to the basket, setting an off-ball screen for one of his teammates, or relocating to somewhere on the floor that gives him and his team the best chance for scoring. That’s something that a winning basketball player does, and should be something the Wolves’ front office looks for in their potential draft picks.
For a team like Minnesota, who possess two defense-collapsing players in Ant and KAT, Sheppard’s skill set should complement the surrounding roster.
During last week’s exit interview presser, Connelly mentioned to the Minnesota media that one of the Timberwolves’ main needs heading into the offseason were more players who can provide the team with ample floor-spacing and a high basketball IQ. Head coach Chris Finch, would soon after discuss the importance of having a high number of 3-and-D players. He also reiterated the need for players who possess the ball skills needed to create both for themselves and their teammates in order to execute his preferred “free-flowing” offense.
Now with just the 53rd pick in a 58-selection draft, and a complete lack of other assets, Tim Connelly and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ front office will have their work cut out for them to try and give the team a chance to improve upon a rather disappointing season. Now on the verge of being responsible for one of the worst trades in NBA history, Connelly will need to prove to fans of the franchise that he’s still the right guy for the job. Drafting a 3-and-D prospect who can do more than shoot and defend seems like a good starting point.
