The 76ers are proving once again that simply amassing a lot of high draft picks is no guarantee of success. Philadelphia remains in perpetual rebuilding and deal-making mode — with Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel reportedly available — even as it lurches toward making the No. 1 pick in the June draft.
For Wolves fans, it's like history repeating itself — in a different market — and reinforces how fortunate Minnesota is to have the young keepers it appears to have.
You'll recall that from 2009 to '11, the Wolves had four picks in the top six combined. It netted them Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn, Wes Johnson and Derrick Williams. They also had former No. 2 pick Michael Beasley on the roster during that era.
Again, translation: Having a lot of high draft picks can be a good thing, but accumulating chances is nowhere near the same thing as accumulating talent.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
