Well, that was a little exhausting. Our original assignment last night was to write about the Wolves' second first-round draft pick, whoever it was, at No. 20. About 9,000 trades later, we finally knew what was what. We think. After spending several hours at Target Center last night, here are some leftover thoughts:

*If David Kahn is telling the truth about No. 2 pick Derrick Williams -- that he's here to stay and isn't trade bait -- that is a very good thing. Trading the pick for a package including an established older player and other parts might have been enticing, but if the right deal wasn't there -- and apparently it wasn't, even if Kahn said good offers were out there -- then keeping one of the two players said to be leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the players in a weak draft class is a no-brainer, even if it does create positional challenges. "Hopefully they do keep me," said Williams, who also said he prefers to play small forward. "I want to be part of the team and turn it around."

*The rest of the craziness drew some interesting reactions in the media room and confused plenty of Wolves fans following online or on TV, but at the end of the day Kahn did what he seems to be best at: Getting value out of trades. Plenty of mock drafts had Malcolm Lee, the 6-5 combo guard from UCLA, going in the first round. One from USA Today had him going to the Wolves at No. 20. Instead, in a flurry of picks, the Wolves moved down to 43 -- picking up Brad Miller (buyout candidate?), a future protected first-round pick, a future second-round pick and Rambis hush money cash considerations from several different teams -- and still got Lee. Say what you want about Kahn. He has been pretty good at wheeling and dealing (Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph for peanuts, unloading Foye and Miller for the pick that became Ricky Rubio, etc). He is a fast and fun target for the national media, but it's hard to argue with this part of his ledger.

*That said, while Lee kind of addresses a need at shooting guard (he's said to be a good defender, though whether he's a starting-caliber player remains to be seen. Remember, Wayne Ellington and Lazar Hayward were taken late in the first round. Neither appear to be NBA starters), the Wolves' most glaring needs still haven't been addressed. Kahn wants to add veteran stability. Miller, at 35, could be that in theory but he's coming off microfracture surgery and will be out at least six months (if there is a season at all, which is another matter for another time). So really there's no meaningful veteran added yet. The team's core, as we see it, includes these five players at the top: Ricky Rubio (20), Kevin Love (22), Michael Beasley (22), Derrick Williams (20) and Wes Johnson (23). Anthony Randolph is also only 21. Also a problem: Love, Beasley, Williams, Johnson and Randolph are at their best when playing a combined two positions -- small forward and power forward. Meanwhile, the other two areas of glaring need -- center and shooting guard -- haven't been meaningfully addressed yet, unless Lee (another youngster) proves to be more than a potential backup.

*Combine those needs with the fact that 11 players were already under contract for 2011-12 (the 12 listed on that link, minus Flynn), and you're adding Miller's contract, Williams, potentially Lee and -- who knows -- Internet sensation and Qatar national team man of mystery Tanguy Ngombo, and there are plenty of moves that still need to be made. Because those players do not make up a winning team. Despite Kahn's insistence that all the 3s and 4s can play together, we have to think the logjam will break up at some point with a trade for a center or shooting guard. The problem is aside from Love and Rubio, Williams has (by far) the most value. And he shouldn't be traded. So unless Wes can magically become a shooting guard instead of small forward and Darko can get the consistency he has yet to show, it will be up to wheeler-dealer Kahn to settle this. Irony of it all: If Kahn had made different moves in the actual draft -- the glaring hole on his resume right now, considering in particular the Wolves already gave up on lottery pick Jonny Flynn -- they could have Stephen Curry (a small guard, but a deadly shooter at the 2) and DeMarcus Cousins at center. Not saying that would be the nucleus they wanted, but when you look at need and what those two have done so far, it hurts to think how this roster could have looked.

*Ricky Rubio was there. We'll end with his quote to fans: "We cannot lose any games out here with this crowd." Oh, Ricky. Sure you can.