All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves Fantasy Draft

Although we’re in the usual doldrums of the NBA offseason, there’s still plenty of Minnesota basketball to follow recently. Ant and six of his other Wolves teammates are suiting up and participating in FIBA World Cup activities. The Lynx are making a surprising playoff push with a new young core. However, if that doesn’t quench your thirst for Timberwolves content, then hopefully this well.

Five of our Canis Hoopus writers gathered together and participated in something most sports fans love to do: Reminisce on old players of their favorite team. They hosted their very own All-Time Timberwolves Fantasy Draft and did their best to create their version of the best theoretical Wolves teams of all-time.

Caveats:

• Players drafted will be the best Timberwolves version/age of them, not the peak or current version regardless of team (Sorry, Brandon Roy).
• We are not taking player salaries into consideration because money is no fun.
• Players would be playing in the modern NBA game, not the ‘90s hand-checking or ‘00s back-to-the-basket ruleset.
• Draft pick order was determined based off a random name picker, then followed a serpentine order each ensuing round.
• The draft went eight rounds long followed by an extra round to select coaches.

Participants/Draft Order:

1. Thilo Latrell Widder
2. Leo Sun
3. Andrew Carlson
4. Charlie Walton
5. Jared Martinson

And off we go! Welcome to the All-Time Timberwolves Fantasy Draft.

Thilo Latrell Widder is now officially on the clock...

---

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1:

Pick 1 (TLW) - Kevin Garnett

Pick 2 (LS) - Anthony Edwards

Pick 3 (AC) - Karl-Anthony Towns

Pick 4 (CW) - Kevin Love

Pick 5 (JM) - Jaden McDaniels

Charlie: While my heart was telling me to build my team around Gorgui Dieng, my inner Tom Thibodeau was telling me, or rather screaming at me, to leave him for the bench. With the two top three picks being set in stone, for the most part, I thought selecting Kevin Love at four was a steal.

Jared: If you see me on Twitter, I’m usually retweeting a Jaden McDaniels offensive compilation from last season. The reportedly 6-foot-11-and-rising small forward has more of a bag than any casual would want to believe, and paired with his elite defensive instincts I figured I couldn’t do better than this drafting for the present and the future. When it’s all said and done, we could be talking about Jaden as a top-3 beloved Timberwolf.

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Round 2:

Pick 6 (JM) - Ricky Rubio

Pick 7 (CW) - Sam Cassell

Pick 8 (AC) - Jimmy Butler

Pick 9 (LS) - Robert Covington

Pick 10 (TLW) - Latrell Sprewell

Andrew: Did I just reunite the most toxic duo in franchise history? Not the point! At the end of the day, Jimmy Butler was the best player on the board. On my team, our warm-up shirts already have the logo cut out anyway. Time for those two give each other a hug and say sorry. We have games to win.

Thilo: Look, guys, I get it may be an overdraft, but just take a glance at my middle name in the byline and you’ll understand that I had to stop myself from taking Spree first overall. I also think that 6’5 slasher with ridiculous contact balance and overpowering athleticism can not only play in an era of pace and space, but dominate in it. Allen Iverson once said that if he could be any other player, he’d want to be Latrell Sprewell (this is not falsified at all, Spree was nasty), so I’m taking him here. And, considering he’s going in the second round instead of the third, he should be getting enough money to feed his family.

Photo by Roberto Finizio/Getty Images

Round 3:

Pick 11 (TLW) - Zach LaVine

Pick 12 (LS) - Kyle Anderson

Pick 13 (AC) - Stephon Marbury

Pick 14 (CW) - Patrick Beverley

Pick 15 (JM) - Nikola Peković

Leo: The thought process here was simple: Surround Ant with the best possible role players possible. Though SlowMo could feel a little redundant with RoCo, having smart players who are both fire extinguishers on defense and can space the floor makes sense (Li Kaier shot 41.0% from 3 last year). Anderson and Edwards both already have chemistry together as well. Oh, and I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to draft the only Asian-represented player in Wolves history here.

Jared: Owning the “hot corner” of the draft order allowed me to tag our good friend Ricky Rubio in round 2 (get well, Ricky!) right after Jaden, and then we hung around with bated breath to see if his early 2010s European running mate (no, sorry, not you, Alexey Shved or Mickael Gelabale) would be available at the end of the third pass through. The war room exhaled audible sighs when Big Pek was still on the board. Enjoy watching the Montenegro Mafiaman on the receiving end of these sweet dimes from Slick Rick.

Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

Round 4:

Pick 16 (JM) - Kevin Martin

Pick 17 (CW) - Gorgui Dieng

Pick 18 (AC) - Christian Laettner

Pick 19 (LS) - Naz Reid

Pick 20 (TLW) - Tom Gugliotta

Charlie: My team wouldn’t be complete without the world-renowned Trebuchet shooter, Gorgui Dieng. I didn’t just select Dieng because I am a super fan of his and have a 5-foot-tall poster of him hanging on the wall in my living room — he ties my entire team together, you know, the top glue guy amongst the squad.

With Kevin Love and Taj Gibson running my four and five, I needed some defense, height, and mid-range scoring off my bench. G fits that to a tee. Not only will we know exactly what Gorgui will bring on a nightly bias, but he’s an all-around great guy and locker-room presence — something Andrew lacks severely.
Editor’s Note: Charlie was so pumped to draft Gorgui he ran to the podium to declare his 4th round selection before it was his turn. Jared graciously let him off the hook.

Andrew: At this point, I have no choice but to lean into my team culture of being the most insufferable team imaginable, and what better than the punchable face of a young Christian Laettner? He can shoot it a little bit if needed, can get out on the break and pass it well. I needed a four in this slot, which, as you know, there aren’t a TON of those to be had in this franchise’s history. I’m imagining a scenario where KAT is yelling “FOUL!” at the ref, Jimmy is yelling at KAT to get back in the play, and Laettner is in the background adjusting his headband and getting up in an opponent’s face simultaneously. Magic.

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Round 5:

Pick 21 (TLW) - Malik Beasley

Pick 22 (LS) - Andrei Kirilenko

Pick 23 (AC) - Andrew Wiggins

Pick 24 (CW) - Wally Szczerbiak

Pick 25 (JM) - Tyus Jones

Thilo: This is likely an overdraft, but I have my excuse primed already. At this point in the draft, I thought we were only going to six rounds (starters and a sixth man) and was content waiting on point guards, which looks especially good now considering I got exactly who I wanted at this spot in the next round anyway.

Either way, my strategy for team building with sixth men is this: your first guy off the bench should either embody your team's identity or be a ballast for its biggest weakness. This team is absolutely missing shooting. While 2016-17 Lavine shot the ball at a high clip, he was the only above average shooter (by modern standards) I had. Could I have taken Wally Szczerbiak and not had the same character or size concerns? Absolutely! But if you’re going into a fantasy redraft without looking to push narratives and ignore player value, you’re doing it wrong. Malik Beasley is a top three shooter in Wolves history and if he, Sprewell, and Garnett start a fight club in the locker room, I’m calling it a team building exercise!

Leo: Though his lone season in Minnesota lasted just 64 games, AK47’s run in 2012 was still largely forgotten amid the cursed “knuckle pushup” season. The 31-year-old was wildly effective on the court despite being at the latter stages of his decorated career, leading the 2012-2013 Wolves in VORP (2.9). The Cerberus of RoCo, SlowMo, and AK47 (all three rank in the top 8 of Wolves single season DBPM) will strike fear into opponents, while amplifying what Ant and Naz do best. Andrei will also provide important mentorship to young Ant in the form of fantasy novel suggestions, back tattoo recommendations, and Russian accent training.

Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

Round 6:

Pick 26 (JM) - Nemanja Bjelica

Pick 27 (CW) - Sam Mitchell

Pick 28 (AC) - Isaiah Rider

Pick 29 (LS) - Jarred Vanderbilt

Pick 30 (TLW) - Chauncey Billups

Jared: You thought I had enough muscle with The Godfather on my roster? Think again. Nemanja Bjelica brings a toughness and floor-spacing combo to the table that few can match. He’s a perfect power forward complement to the traditional style of play that Pek has and he had great synergy with Rubio in their final Wolves season together — a net rating of 4.7, per PBP Stats.

Charlie: Not only did I need some shooting at my starting small forward position, but I also needed someone who would be able to lead the team on and off the court. I felt Sam Mitchell was the perfect fit. So much so that I decided to name him as my Head Coach as well.

Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Round 7:

Pick 31 (TLW) - Rudy Gobert

Pick 32 (LS) - Troy Hudson

Pick 33 (AC) - Andre Miller

Pick 34 (CW) - Taj Gibson

Pick 35 (JM) - Ryan Gomes

Leo: Call me Bobby Webster 2.0 not because I’m Asian, but because I’m making Masai Ujiri proud since it appears I’ve drafted a team full of 6’6” to 6’9” players so far. A position-less basketball dream team still requires a squirrely, undrafted, point guard that gets buckets. Troy Hudson, my personal childhood hero, fits that bill. Oh and he also earns extra points with his nickname, “Laker Killer.” At the peak of his Minnesota powers, he was shooting over 40% from deep and getting into the paint at will. In today’s game, he’d be lethal. Oh and just imagine the mixtapes he’ll drop with Ant.

Andrew: OK, time to get serious. I can’t have 82 malice at the palaces. I need an adult in the room, and also someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty. What better person to accomplish this than gray-haired Andre Miller? His stats as a Wolf would make you laugh, but he did a lot for a young roster when he was here. While I was dangerously close to a Luke Ridnour selection here, Miller was easily the better choice.

Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

Round 8:

Pick 36 (JM) - Anthony Randolph

Pick 37 (CW) - Taurean Prince

Pick 38 (AC) - Al Jefferson

Pick 39 (LS) - Ricky Davis

Pick 40 (TLW) - Corey Brewer

Jared: My last couple rounds will definitely transport readers back to a time of Timberwolves basketball we’ve hopefully forgotten (I don’t think I need a spoiler tag to tell you Kurt Rambis was not selected as one of these team’s head coaches), but reading the name Anthony Randolph probably activates a twinge of hope and eagerness in a true NBA fan’s heart. Famous for his “ahead-of-his-time” potential with unteachable length and smooth skill, Randolph could never truly put it together on an NBA court, whether it was as Steph Curry’s teammate in NBA Summer League or averaging nine points and four rebounds in 57 games as a Wolf. But what’s a fantasy draft bench without an upside pick, even a decade later?

Thilo: I don’t have to say much here. I brought the vibes element down a bit taking Gobert (although he did fit my aforementioned fight club morale booster), I had to not only buoy them, but take them to the moon. Part of me wishes we still lived in a world where Brew held the franchise record for most points in a single game, but he does still hold the record for most instantaneous entrants into my crossover grids (Mamadi Diakite and Ekpe Udoh are right behind). I don’t have much else to say. I love Corey Brewer. You love Corey Brewer. And for those of you who were too checked out of bad teams remember him fondly, just know that, emotionally, he was Naz Reid before Naz Reid. And every team needs that type of guy.

Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Coaches:

TLW - Rick Adelman

LS - Chris Finch

AC - Flip Saunders

CW - Sam Mitchell

JM - Dwane Casey

Final Thoughts:

Thilo: If you had asked me to build the best team, I would’ve come back to you with a different team. I came here with my bias to spread and I have done that. I have the franchise’s best player all time and its best coach (sorry Kurt Rambis). I have the franchise’s best (stay with me) shooter of all time coming off the bench. I have the franchise’s most beloved role player ever as my final draft pick. I don’t even particularly like Rudy Gobert and I got him with the 31st pick! That’s Taj Gibson/Ryan Gomez territory. I thought that pick would be Sebastian Telfair (love you Bassy), not Gobert.

Again, this was all about bias and planting the seeds for me to shout things. In today’s game, Latrell Sprewell is somewhere between Bennedict Mathurin and Demar Derozan and would benefit from the added space and, well, pace. I’d take a starting lineup of Billups - Lavine - Sprewell - Guggliotta - Garnett over anyone else’s starters. I’d take a bench of Beasley, Brewer, and Gobert over anyone else’s bench. I take back what I said; if you asked me to build the best team, I’d give you exactly this one.

At the intersection of talent and conflict, The St. Paul Stranglers will be a team no one wants to play against or argue with. Will we have fistfights and players-only confrontations so loud they echo down the tunnel? Absolutely. But, iron sharpens iron, and these guys will definitely be hitting each other.

Leo: The NBA is built on superstars. Kareem. Magic. MJ. LeBron. Steph. Ant. Of course, basketball is a team game, but the solar system still revolves the superstars. That means when you get a chance to draft one of the most talented players to have ever put on a NBA uniform, you do everything you can to maximize him. Pair the Ant & Naz Reid duo with three elite low-usage (Sub 18%), defensive-minded role players who are capable floor spacers, and you’re in the Larry O’Brien Trophy business.

Officially known as the Masai-ota Timberwolves, we are the leaders in the future of basketball. Using the 2019 NBA champion Raptors as a rough blueprint, you have Ant as your Kawhi-type centerpiece. SlowMo as your Siakam-type secondary do-it-all creator. RoCo as a Danny Green-type elite 3&D guy. Naz as your Gasol-type floor spacing skilled big. AK47 as a Lowry-type rugged defender. T-Hud as your VanVleet-type undrafted bench spark plug. Vando acting as an Ibaka-type high energy defending big off the bench. Davis as a Powell-type three-level scorer. And of course, Chris Finch as your Nick Nurse-type former overseas/G-League coach at the helm.

I leave you with this last image: Without counting superstar rapper Hudson, the remaining 7 players of the Masai-ota Wolves have a combined wingspan of 50 feet, meaning if they all lined up with their arms spread out, they would cover more than half an NBA court. Good luck.

Andrew: Call Rachel Nichols was days in the making. Not only was it about basketball fit on the court, but taking best player available was important too. And sometimes, the world has a sick sense of humor. Scoring was obviously important, and the ability to pair KAT with Marbury was absolutely disgusting. Jimmy, Andre Miller, and Laettner can do the dirty work, and Wiggs can finally be the complimentary piece he’s lived up to be in Golden State. Isaiah Rider as a sixth man was absolutely massive too and something I can’t dismiss, and Big Al with the last pick? Are you kidding me? Call Rachel Nichols has also made the decision to invest as heavily in security as they have on roster contracts, to make sure that nothing spills over too much into the locker room.

You thought the Rudy Gobert punch was shocking? Just you wait!

Charlie: We’ve got some big names, sure. But that’s not what winning is about. Rather, the most important thing is filling out a deep team with guys who like playing next to each other. My starting five of Sam Cassell, Wally Szczerbiak, Sam Mitchell, Kevin Love, and Taj Gibson is a healthy balance of both offensive firepower, grit on both ends and defense.

The versatility and solidity of the roster don’t stop there. Off the bench, we are running Patrick Beverley, Taurean Prince, and Gorgui Dieng — all of who bring many different skills to the table.

The name of our ball club is simply Wolves Back. Not only does this team bring winning and dominant offense to the table, but they are also sure to be a good time.

Jared: The recurring theme as I selected my personnel was something along the lines of Dearly Beloveds. In true Minnesotan fashion, I couldn’t resist picking the players who made me feel something - regardless of true effectiveness and efficiency on the court.

We get to reunite Ricky Rubio and Nikola Peković at the point guard and center spots, then plug in sharpshooting tertiary players Kevin Martin and Nemanja Bjelica while Jaden McDaniels emerges as the primary option at small forward. Then I went for it all with bench players Tyus Jones (rock-solid backup guard), Ryan Gomes (the real crown jewel of the Kevin Garnett robbery) and Anthony Randolph (we still hold stock!). We’ll gladly enjoy 36-44 wins per season for the time being.

---

Who’s team would you take? Is there a favorite squad you vibe with? Or is there a player you thought should’ve or shouldn’t have been drafted? Let us know your thoughts below and vote for your favorite team below.