Timberwolves trade up with Spurs to snare Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham

Timberwolves President Tim Connelly stated a couple of days earlier than the draft, he and coach Chris Finch had been watching movie of Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, and each of them obtained excited as they envisioned what Dillingham may deliver to the Wolves together with his scoring acumen and talent to interrupt down a protection, one thing the Wolves had been missing at occasions of their run to the Western Convention finals.

A sobering actuality got here with that pleasure, as Connelly did not suppose there could be a manner for the Wolves to get Dillingham within the draft. However the evening broke their manner, and with the second apron of the wage cap about to clamp down on how the workforce can reshape their roster, Connelly pounced on one of many solely methods the Wolves had left to make an impression on a contending roster by buying and selling a 2030 choose swap and a 2031 unprotected first spherical choose to the Spurs to seize Dillingham at No. 8. Connelly did not mince phrases after the primary spherical of the draft ended Wednesday evening — the Wolves anticipate Dillingham to play instantly of their rotation subsequent season.

“He is a man who, from Day 1, goes to have a task and a accountability,” Connelly stated. “Definitely it should be onerous for him. However I do not suppose you are that aggressive within the prime 10 [of the draft] with a man you do not suppose can play instantly.”

Connelly did not need to commerce the twenty seventh total choose the Wolves had coming into the evening and with that choose, they grabbed Illinois wing Terrence Shannon Jr., who led the Illini to the Large Ten match title at Goal Middle in March.

The 6-7 Shannon performed final season whereas awaiting path for rape and sexual assault stemming from an incident in a bar in Kansas in September. A jury acquitted Shannon, who stated the sufferer within the case mistook him for someone else, earlier this month after a week-long trial in Kansas. Connelly stated the group regarded into Shannon’s case and stated it was a “disgrace that it is even a footnote” on Shannon’s profession.

“I believe should you actually dig, it is a actually unlucky factor for a child by all accounts … is a good child,” Connelly stated. “Oftentimes, the minute you are accused you are discovered responsible. Fortunately he went the authorized course of. He selected to go to trial as a result of he knew he did nothing incorrect. I simply suppose it is a disgrace he went via that and I believe it is a testomony to who he’s as a child and his potential to play via a extremely robust distraction.”

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The Wolves had been searching for methods to extend their offensive explosiveness after the Mavericks bottled them up at occasions within the playoffs, and Connelly did not suppose the Wolves would discover that form of immediate impression participant choosing late within the draft. They had been pleased to see Shannon fall to enrich the choose of Dillingham.

“We challenged ourselves this offseason. How will we get extra athletic? How do we’ve extra shot creation?” Connelly stated. “And to be brutally sincere we did not suppose we may achieved these issues within the draft at 27. The way in which the evening broke and the best way the calls form of developed, we had been unbelievably excited to get a man that we predict is as proficient as anyone on this draft.”

The transfer to get Dillingham was a loud-throated declaration from the group that the Wolves really feel their likelihood to win a championship is subsequent season and maybe for a couple of years after as they sacrificed extra future draft capital, albeit six and 7 years away. That does not matter to a workforce that feels it’s on the doorstep of successful a title.

Dillingham will make slightly below $6.3 million subsequent season as a part of the rookie-scale contract, with the whole worth of his contract being value $28.6 million.

The transfer was an enormous dedication from possession, which can pay the luxurious tax for the primary time because the 2019-20 season. In accordance with ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Wolves’ luxurious tax invoice went up from $56 to $84 million subsequent season with the commerce for Dillingham.

“Possession was implausible,” Connelly stated. “Definitely any time you are aggressive there’s monetary realities. We predict we’ve an opportunity. We’re on the massive desk, so it isn’t time to get scared now.”

With extensions to Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Cities coming onto the books this season, Connelly, who dealt the workforce’s 2025, ’27 and ’29 picks to Utah for Rudy Gobert, swung for the fences with the one little bit of first-round draft capital he needed to deal within the ’31 choose. The Wolves potential to maneuver their 2032 choose was about to be frozen beneath the foundations of exceeding the second apron of the luxurious tax. The Wolves rendered that moot by buying and selling the 2031 choose, since groups cannot deal first-round picks in consecutive years anyway.

The Wolves additionally will not be capable to signal gamers (besides their very own free brokers) to something moreover minimal contracts as soon as free company opens, per second apron guidelines. So considered one of their lone avenues for locating an impression participant who can assist them now and within the subsequent few years was to make a splash on this draft.

“I do not how we are able to add this degree of expertise by way of trades until we need to quit core guys,” Connelly stated. “I do not understand how.”

Dillingham, 19, averaged 15.2 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures 44% from three-point vary and seems part of the workforce’s succession plan as soon as 36-year-old level guard Mike Conley retires. Connelly described Dillingham as a “one [point guard] who’s a bucket.”

Amongst Dillingham’s strengths are his quickness and his taking pictures; he has a quick launch and is usually a good finisher across the rim and is shifty in his potential to get previous defenders.

“I really feel like I am fast and I can get previous dudes,” Dillingham stated. “… You are enjoying with a bunch of NBA gamers, so gamers cannot actually assist off rather a lot as a result of these are NBA gamers and so they knock down photographs. Getting previous my defender and making performs with my teammates will probably be manner simpler, and if they do not assist, it is only a bucket.”

His weaknesses are on protection, and his skinny body (6-2, 164 kilos) make him weak to assault on that finish of the ground.

Shannon, 23, was a third-team All-America final season, staying on the workforce after suing for his proper to proceed enjoying whereas the authorized course of performed out. He averaged 23 factors per recreation for the Illini, who received the Large Ten match at Goal Middle. Shannon performed 5 seasons in school, the primary three at Texas Tech.

His strengths embrace his potential to drive to the rim and use his power to get there. That power additionally permits him to get to the free-throw line at a excessive charge (8.6 makes an attempt per recreation final season). His weaknesses embrace a low launch level and a shot that may nonetheless use some work in bettering effectivity (35% profession three-point shooter).

Spherical two of the draft continues Thursday, however the Wolves seemingly made their most vital transfer of the offseason Wednesday evening.

“We weren’t too optimistic when the evening began and we had been fortunate sufficient to acquire a choose and get a child we predict can actually assist us,” Connelly stated.