The Minnesota Timberwolves have something of a dilemma at the point guard position this summer. The team struggles when Mike Conley is not on the court. They played Jordan McLaughlin, Monte Morris, and even Kyle Anderson in a playmaker role last season. However, all three players are unrestricted free agents this year, and they don‘t have the cap space to pay all of them at market value.
Some or all of them may return on team-friendly deals. Anderson has talked about having settled well in Minnesota. Morris is coming off a difficult year, recovering from injuries and being in and out of the rotation. McLaughlin has never played NBA basketball outside of the Twin Cities. He shot 47% from three this year and might be of interest to other teams needing a backup point guard.
Then you must factor in that Conley will turn 37 in October. He played in 76 games this season for the Wolves, averaging 29 minutes per game. However, with his age and injury issues that became worse the longer the playoffs went on, the Wolves will need to be cautious about minutes and games. If they want him in the playoffs, they most likely need to build more rest for him during regular-season games.
Given that there is so much uncertainty about how the Wolves will fill out that position, they may look to draft a point guard to take over for Conley eventually. A lot of what they will do depends on the outcome of signing the three players who played point guard last year. However, if all three come back, the Wolves may not bother drafting a player in that position, instead deferring to a Daishen Nix-type two-way deal for a player.
Age is a major factor in discussing what the Wolves must add. In recent years, the team has often drafted younger players with higher ceilings. Leonard Miller and Josh Minott, arguably the two young players on the roster with the most promise right now, were 19 when the Timberwolves drafted them.
However, Wendell Moore Jr. and Jaylen are the guards they have drafted in the last two years, and they were more experienced coming into the draft. Clark, 22, has been working his way back from rupturing his Achilles, while Moore, 22, has made little impact. Moore and Clark completed three years in college, but Clark has yet to play, and Moore averages 1.1 points in 4.3 minutes per game. Given his age and fit, Moore might have expected more minutes than he has seen. However, his performances have not been promising.
The Wolves might look to draft an older, more experienced point guard. However, there is no guarantee that that player can arrive and contribute quickly. The Wolves might need a young guard willing to play 10 to 15 minutes a night as Conley’s backup. Given that this year’s draft is weaker and more challenging to predict, this could go in many ways.
Minnesota could draft Isaiah Collier, with reports suggesting his draft stock has dropped since the combine. The 6’3”, 19-year-old guard averaged 16 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game for USC this season. He’s an athletic guard who excels at driving to the paint. While questions remain about his lack of length and jump shot, if Collier falls to nearby Minnesota’s first pick at 27, then he would be a player to watch. If he is set to fall into the mid-20s, it would be unsurprising if the Wolves attempted to trade up for him.
Tyler Kolek is another player who might be available somewhere in the 20s. However, the Wolves may also have to move up to take him. Kolek is much older at 23, and far more of the traditional point guard archetype Minnesota has successfully developed. At only 6’1”, he’s on the smaller side. However, this year, Kolek averaged 15 PPG, 8 APG, and 5 RPG for Marquette. He’d have to develop defensively. Still, if the Timberwolves want a real plug-and-play backup point guard, then Kolek might be the way to go – even if it means some sort of package to trade upwards for him.
Elsewhere, Jamal Shead and KJ Simpson are two other, older point guards likely to be available when the Wolves pick at 37, let alone 27. Shead struggles as a scorer. Still, his ability to be a playmaker might stand out. Meanwhile, Simpson could be a competent NBA backup with the proper development work. It’s more likely that Shead or Simpson would be third-choice options, perhaps in a mold similar to McLaughlin, than in the rotation immediately.
There is also the possibility of the Wolves drafting Bronny James as a development prospect. However, he apparently lacks enthusiasm to work out for the organization, having only worked out for the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. James is expected to end up with the Lakers to play with his father, LeBron James. Still, he might be a feasible option if he’s available by the time the Wolves pick. Perhaps more of a combo guard with a reputation for being a good defender, he’s the archetype of a player the Wolves like to take a chance on, given he would fit into the team mantra of being an elite defensive team.
