With the first pick in Orlando Pinstriped Post's 2015 NBA mock draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns. Aaron Goldstone is serving as the Timberwolves general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.
Perhaps surprisingly, I never considered Jahlil Okafor for this pick. I’m sure Minnesota will perform their due diligence on both young men, but at the end of the day (if they do decide to go "big", which I think they will), there really is no dilemma or drama here.
However, I did give D’Angelo Russell at #1 a good bit of thought. A triad in the backcourt of Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, and Russell moving forward is a very enticing thought. Rubio (and Russell) would provide the playmaking ability, LaVine the athleticism, and Russell the shooting and scoring threat from the perimeter. Add Andrew Wiggins to the mix, who has the ability to play both the SG & SF positions, and that’s a lot of depth/options at the skill positions.
Still, I stuck with my instinct that Minnesota will go for a big frontcourt player at #1 when I mocked their selection. Selecting Russell could create a situation for the Wolves where too many guards need the ball in their hands consistently. I went decisively with Towns over Okafor because of Towns’ ability to affect the game in a multitude of ways. Okafor is beyond his years offensively in the post, we all know that. Yet Towns is more versatile (he can play PF and/or C), he provides more spacing offensively (didn’t see it at Kentucky because of scheme), he provides more resistance defensively protecting the paint, and vastly outshines Jahlil Okafor at the free-throw line.
At #1, teams should never draft strictly for need, but I also consider the need for a starting PF on Minnesota’s roster a plus pertaining to this selection. The Wolves have Nikola Pekovic and Gorgui Dieng under contract moving forward, and both men have proven over the course of their careers that they are serviceable & solid Centers in the NBA. On the other hand, the Wolves started Adreian Payne at PF down the stretch last year, a prospect that is probably better served coming off the bench. Minnesota’s other options at PF are Anthony Bennett and an aging Kevin Garnett (who is a Free Agent). The Wolves will not think twice when they select Karl-Anthony Towns in the 2015 NBA draft, pairing him with Andrew Wiggins as another young cornerstone to build around in Minnesota.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are now on the clock for the 2nd pick in the OPP mock draft.
