The final haul for the Timberwolves after Thursday's NBA Draft: Walker Kessler (No. 22 overall), Wendell Moore Jr. (No. 26), Josh Minott (No. 45) and Matteo Spagnolo (No. 50). How this group pans out is anyone's guess ... or everyone's guess ... here are NBA Draft grades for the Wolves from around the web.
Instant analysis: Draft grades from around the web for the Wolves
Four picks, two first rounders and a slew of trades: How did the Timberwolves fare in the NBA Draft on Thursday night? Here's analysis from around the hoops world.
June 24, 2022 at 10:28PM
ESPN: A-
- Minnesota moved down three spots and still ended up with the player ESPN's Jonathan Givony had projected to them at No. 19, Auburn center Walker Kessler. Assuming the Timberwolves planned to take Kessler either way, they were able to convert a future second-round pick into a first-rounder for nothing. Later, Minnesota added a couple more future second-rounders to move up three spots from No. 29 to No. 26 and add Duke forward Wendell Moore Jr.
The Ringer: Kessler (B-), Moore Jr. (A-)
- On Kessler: Minnesota has been pursuing veteran centers on the trade market like Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela, but landing a big on a rookie contract might be the better path. Kessler was one of the best shot blockers in all of college basketball, winning Defensive Player of the Year. Chris Finch will throw him into frontcourts with Karl-Anthony Towns, but we'll also see him as the lone big on the floor. Minnesota's roster hasn't taken shape yet as the D'Angelo Russell rumors continue, but this pick is about constructing the best frontcourt around Towns. And clearly, the Wolves want to be huge.
- On Moore Jr.: Moore makes a lot of sense for Minnesota because of his defensive versatility and spot-up shooting. But he can also handle the ball a little bit. At times, he served as a reliable pick-and-roll creator for Duke. If the Wolves do trade D'Angelo Russell, having guys who can be 3-and-D role players that can transform into creators is of the utmost importance to support Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.
CBS Sports: B+
- The Wolves moved their picks around but ultimately landed an elite rim protector in Kessler and a prototypical 3-and-D wing in Moore. Kessler may have some trouble staying on the floor against quicker teams, but he was an elite shot-blocker in college and can eat up minutes with Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench. Moore should compete for playing time immediately on a team desperately craving wings. Overall Minnesota filled two needs with solid players.
Yahoo Sports: Kessler (B), Moore Jr. (B)
- On Kessler: Kessler was the leading shot-blocker in college basketball this past season and moves well with his 7-foot-1 frame. The Cavs had success last year with both Isaiah Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the lane, and Tm Connolly is making a similar move in his first year as president of basketball operations in Minnesota.
- On Moore Jr.: Moore Jr. tested the NBA waters last year and elected to return for one more season, working on his body and footwork. It paid off in a big way and he was the floor general for a very good Duke team. Moore Jr. will carry that leadership to Minnesota and should be a decent backup.
- On Kessler: The Nuggets drafted very well under Tim Connelly, so these picks will be under some scrutiny. His first move was to select an ace shot blocker who was one of the draft's most divisive prospects. Minnesota needed to improve its defense but also has a paucity of legitimate NBA forwards and there were still some good candidates on the board. For what it's worth, I don't think Kessler would have made it to 29.
- On Moore Jr.: Moore was one of my favorite sleepers in this draft, and I think he has enough size to be able to play some minutes at the three, a place where the Timberwolves are short on talent. Minnesota has a lot of offensive talent, but needs more two-way role players, so I like the fit here quite a bit even if I had Minott and Liddell rated a bit higher.
- On Minott: Tim Connelly nabs my biggest draft crush, Minott, with the 45th pick. Given the Wolves' struggles to defend halfway-decent forwards and the long-term upside of Minott, this is one of my favorite picks of the draft.
- On Spagnolo: With a surfeit of second-round picks, Minnesota dropped one of them on Indiana at No. 48 and then went for the best available stash player, Spagnolo, at No. 50. Spagnolo might not be athletic enough for the league but he can really shoot. The Wolves will leave him overseas.
Sports Illustrated: Kessler (B-), Moore Jr. (A)
- On Kessler: Minnesota traded back to grab Kessler and the 29th pick, and while this was a tad higher than I would have taken him there's a chance this pays off for the Wolves, who have been seeking a rim protector to help anchor bench lineups and deploy alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. Kessler was the best shot-blocker in college basketball last season and has terrific instincts contesting drivers and making life difficult for opponents. He's not going to defend well in space, but in the right scheme, it's easy to see him being pretty valuable. We'll see how this experiment works in lineups where Towns slides over to power forward.
- On Moore Jr.: As I understand the situation, Minnesota had heavy interest in Moore at No. 19, but saw an opportunity for a value play and converted on that gamble here. They successfully traded back to No. 29, then back up, to grab their guy. Moore is one of my favorite players in this class and someone I'm confident will wind up delivering value as a long-term role player for the Timberwolves, where he should be a nice fit as a swiss-army-knife wing alongside Anthony Edwards.
Despite so-so record, Wolves have improved at crunch time.
