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Timberwolves Draft: Worst Case Scenarios

Because we're Timberwolves. You know we have to.

Trey Burke: Falls to 9?
Trey Burke: Falls to 9?
USA TODAY Sports

Well, it's hours until the draft, and rumors are flying:

  • Wolves like Tony Mitchell at 26?
  • Giannis Alphabethands insists on coming to the NBA right away?
  • Wolves, Jazz, Thunder trying to move up?
  • Half the league wants to move up for CJ McCollum, the other half for Sergey Karasev?
Because we are Wolves fans, things won't go smoothly. When do they ever?

It's time to play: Wolves Worst Case Scenario!

Here's one where all three of McCollum, Caldwell-Pope, and Zeller are gone:

Cavaliers: Noel
Magic: Oladipo
Wizards: Porter
Bobcats: Zeller
Suns: McLemore
Pelicans: Len
Kings: McCollum
Pistons: Caldwell-Pope

So now you are Flip staring down the barrel of a situation where the two highest rated (consensus) guys left are Bennett and Burke. Burke is by far the best player left, and absolutely the guy you do not need. At this point, are there teams calling you with interest in these players? What sort of deal can you make? How much panic is happening in the draft room? Is there any way you just take Burke as BPA and figure it out? Draft Sergey Karasev?

What's the play?

Here's one where Zeller is still on the board. I know many of us would be fine with taking him at 9, but others are very concerned about fit issues and rebounding.

Cavaliers: Noel
Magic: Oladipo
Wizards: Porter
Bobcats: Bennett
Suns: Len
Pelicans: Mclemore
Kings: McCollum
Pistons: Caldwell-Pope


Once again, Burke is there along with Zeller in this scenario. Burke is almost undraftable by the Wolves, and Zeller has question marks.

However, perhaps the worst case scenario (unless you are purple russian 14), is the one in which Len falls. That's scariest to me, because I think the likely play for Saunders there is to draft Len to keep him. I suspect this is pretty much a waste of a lottery pick, and we'll spend the next three years watching him struggle for playing time and to stay on the court.

So what's your worst case scenario? And how should the Wolves handle it?

And most importantly, how confident are you in Flip's ability to make the right decision if things go awry?

Less than 7 hours to go.