Pre-draft workouts for this month’s NBA draft are in full swing for the Timberwolves.
The Wolves wrapped up their second round of group workouts with prospects on Sunday.
Primarily the prospects the Wolves have brought in for their first two group workouts are projected to be either second round picks or undrafted free agents.
They brought in Florida’s Scottie Wilbekin, Jerami Grant of Syracuse and Michigan State’s Keith Appling amongst others.
While no one in that group is projected to be on Minnesota’s radar screen at No. 13, Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders told 1500 ESPN the Wolves have a “boxed area of about seven guys” they are targeting with their top pick.
Several of the prospects they are targeting at No. 13 are expected to stop in Minnesota before the June 26th NBA draft, but nothing is definite.
According to the report, the Wolves don’t always bring in the players they end up picking. Neither of last year’s first round picks, Shabazz Muhammed and Gorgui Dieng, worked out for them, prior to the draft.
“We had a pretty good feel on Gorgui last year and we didn’t work him out individually,” Saunders told 1500 ESPN. “In my early years, we didn’t have Marbury come in, we didn’t have Garnett come in here. A lot is just where you are with a comfort level. I believe we have a pretty good handle on those guys.”
The Wolves reportedly interviewed Kentucky’s James Young and Michigan’s Nik Stauskas. At No. 13 other targets could include Michigan State’s Adreian Payne, UCLA’s Zach LaVine, Duke’s Rodney Hood and Syracuse’s Tyler Ennis.
With so many uncertainties, figuring out who or when the Wolves will draft is nearly impossible.
The Wolves could also move up in the draft depending on how the Kevin Love situation plays out. If the Wolves move him either before or during the NBA Draft, they could move up.
According to the Bleacher Report, the Wolves could move up to a number of spots in the draft, if they choose to deal Love.
If the team trades Love, it could get to No. 7 (where the Los Angeles Lakers are currently picking), No. 6 (Boston Celtics) or No. 1 (Cleveland Cavaliers). It could theoretically do any of these things while retaining its No. 13 pick.
