So much for the NBA draft being a relatively boring exercise for the Timberwolves this year. Tim Connelly isn’t one to sit idle and be boring.
The Wolves president of basketball operations continued to operate with the urgency of a shotgun marriage. Reaching the Western Conference finals was a fun ride, but Connelly’s draft-night actions Wednesday displayed a hunger for more.
Connelly landed ultra-explosive Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham with the No. 8 overall pick by trading the San Antonio Spurs a first-round pick so far in the future that its impact is irrelevant in the immediacy of the moment.
The Spurs received a 2031 unprotected first-round pick in the deal. Seven years is an eternity in the business of professional sports. The NBA might be playing games on Mars by then.
Who cares about that pick right now with the Wolves firmly positioned in win-now mode?
Connelly’s brief tenure as basketball boss has been marked by aggressive, all-in deal-making with the intent of constructing a championship contender. He executed a blockbuster trade for Rudy Gobert that cost a boatload of draft picks and set in motion the creation of a new identity for the team.
That move was made with defense in mind. The trade for Dillingham was all about offense. Connelly punctuated his impressive night by keeping the No. 27 overall pick, which he used to select Illinois athletic wing Terrence Shannon Jr.
The Wolves owned a championship defense and a below-average offense this season. Sometimes the answer to problems is easy. Make it a priority.