3 – Minnesota Timberwolves select: Jalen Green, G
This is a guard-heavy class. In particular, it’s a Jalen-heavy class. Although the Minnesota Timberwolves have a bright young backcourt with D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards, it’ll be tough to pass up on Jalen Green.
In actuality, there’s nothing wrong with loading up on playmakers and shot creators in the modern NBA. Russell, Edwards and Green are all above 6’4″ – making them taller than most backcourts in general. This three-headed monster in the backcourt would be a terror for opponents to defend.
The Wolves currently rank 22nd in points and 13th in assists. This means a booster shot in scoring and playmaking could do wonders for their rebuild. Green is exactly that, an electric three-level scorer with elite athleticism.
A potential problem would be defending opponents. Thankfully, Green is a lanky guard who can develop into a strong perimeter defender. The same goes for Edwards, who is bulky enough to match up with taller wings.
Any way you look at it, the Wolves will have to draft a position they already have. Sure, they can select a big in Evan Mobley but then you worry about crowding the frontcourt with Towns. The only other option is Jonathan Kuminga but the drop off in talent could be too severe for the Wolves to select anyone besides Green.