Pick no. 17
With all the attention being paid to what the Wolves will do with the No. 1 overall pick in Wednesday's NBA draft, their other first-round pick — No. 17 overall, originally belonging to the Nets and acquired via trade — might not be getting the attention it deserves. There are reports the Wolves may package the pick along with 2019 first-round pick Jarrett Culver to move up in the draft; however, if they decide to keep the pick, here are some options potentially available to them at that slot.
Jalen Smith, Maryland
• The Wolves are lacking a long-term solution at power forward, even though they may re-sign Juancho Hernangomez this offseason. The 6-foot-10 Smith might be the kind of stretch four they could use. He shot 37% from three-point range last season and has capability to be a decent defender. His improved shooting should be intriguing for a team that's as three-point centric as the Wolves are.
Saddiq Bey, Villanova
• Like Smith, Bey is another stretch forward, though he is two inches shorter than Smith at 6-8, and could profile more as a small forward despite having the ability to defend taller opponents. His shooting could catch the eyes of several teams, since he was a 45% three-point shooter on 5.6 attempts per game last season. Draft analysts criticize his athleticism and his ability to create his own shot, but perhaps he can fit alongside playmakers Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell.
Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
• Maxey is a 6-3 combo guard, but he struggled to shoot at Kentucky — where he made 43% of his field-goal attempts and only 29% from three-point range. But analysts say Maxey has natural scoring ability and has good instincts on the offensive end of the floor — plus solid defensive ability to potentially defend both guard positions. He's skilled in transition and could have the potential to improve his shooting efficiency. He was an 83% free-throw shooter.
Jaden McDaniels, Washington