The NBA draft is tonight, so those of you who hate basketball but otherwise enjoy this blog -- Clarence Swamptown, we're talking about you -- should only have a couple more days to endure our near-constant NBA chatter.
Here, then, is a quick take on what the ideal -- yet realistic -- draft would be tonight for the Wolves in order to address big-time needs.
OPTION 1
No. 9 overall pick, first round: A shooting guard. Or a shooting guard. Or if that fails, a shooting guard. Seriously, as long as there is a shooting guard who can help the Wolves sitting there at No. 9 -- and really, there will be -- they had better pull the trigger. We don't even really care who it is. It just needs to be a shooting guard because it is unfathomable that one of the seemingly easiest positions to acquire has remained a black hole for the franchise for much of its history and certainly lately. But it will probably be either C.J. McCollum or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
No. 26 overall pick: Another shooting guard (more of a swingman type who can shoot the lights out and play D) or a legitimate 7-footer who can protect the rim. Someone like UNC's Reggie Bullock (first type) or Louisville's Gorgiu Deng (second type). Maybe even Jeff Withey of Kansas.
Nos. 52 and 59, second round: A pair of European projects who they can stash, unless a college player falls dramatically into their laps. In this case, the needs are the same: draft one big man and one shooter.
OPTION 2
Trade the No. 9, No. 26 and whatever else it takes within reason to move up to a spot to get either Victor Oladipo or Ben McLemore, the two biggest impact shooting guards in the draft. we'd favor Oladipo here simply because of his athletic ability and defense, even if McLemore is the better shooter.
