Well, as we get closer to the draft and it becomes obvious that there will be a talented player at 18 available who fits a position of need, the most likely course of action is to trade the pick for nobody of consequence.

That being said, check this out...

insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/...mock-draft-version-5

List of people in the top 18 that would *NOT* fit a position of need:

Thomas Robinson (if you think he can't play alongside Pek and Love- I'm split- but it's irrelevant because he's going in the top 10)

Jared Sullinger (quite possible he falls this far- in which case I would advocate picking him and trading him before the season starts- he and Love on D together? ish.)

Damian Lillard (is he a combo guard? small to be guarding 2 guards, but maybe he can play alongside Rubio)

Perry Jones III (the. worst. case. scenario. IMHO very likely to drop out of the lottery. I've watched this guy play a bunch and what I see is a less aggressive Anthony Randolph. Kryptonite, I tell you. He's the JaMarcus Russell of this draft. Great on paper, not on the field. I digress)

Kendall Marshall (one of my favorite players in the draft. the Jason Kidd comps are not far off. I don't see he and Rubio on the court at the same time though.)

Most everyone else on the board is a 5 or an athletic leaping basket attacking 4, a small forward, or a shooting guard. MKG and Perry Jones are kind of 3/4 tweeners but they both D up and I doubt either will have a hard time transitioning to a NBA 3.

So long story short, the one year that we have a draft pick that everyone wants and that Kahn seems content to trade is also the one year where someone like Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, Tyler Zeller, etc. are going to be available. Of course.

Who is the best shooter in the draft?

Get that player somehow. A pure shooter. Ideally the one who shoots the highest % from the corner 3 in the draft pool. Find him and get him.

Royce White, Beasley, and Derrick Williams on the same team please.

Maybe Al Harrington is available as well. We know Jeff Green is.

Jeremy Lamb kills me during interviews. His jump shot form can be killer too, but I think if there is anyone worth going up and grabbing it is him. Part of me wonders if he'll be a late riser who could go as high as #2.

That UConn team was a hot mess this year. I could see Lamb having been in a situation like Eric Gordon when that Indiana team melted down.

pants wrote:
Yea, almost zero chance of that. It would definitely be worth trading with anyone to get a chance at him but the Wolves don't have the assets to entice anyone, I don't think.

daddyfatsax wrote:
If Lamb goes 2 then that pushes MKG down, Barnes, etc.

I could see Barnes sliding way down along with Sullinger and PJ3. All of those guys seem to lack the "hype" that the other guys have. Of the 3, Sullinger is the lowest risk and will probably be a very productive PF somewhere. Obviously he makes no sense for us, and it's hard to see him dropping out of the lottery altogether much like Barnes. PJ3 could drop out, IMO. I hate to be a hater, but he kind of sucks. I have never once seen him assert himself in a college game. Every Baylor game I watched (probably bits and pieces of maybe 8-10 of them this year) he was brutal. Very immature body language.

Rivers has some swagger and if he's available at 18 I think you keep the pick and stash him on the bench for a year or so. He can play, and would do fine with Rubio. Lots of open looks, which simplifies the game.

Another guy I am kind of curious on is this Jeff Taylor. I didn't watch Vanderbilt play at all this year so I have nothing to go off other than what ESPN says about him, but they describe him as a lockdown defender with speed and a great J. That pretty much takes care of one of the 2 wing positions if he can be productive at the NBA level.

Trade the #18 for Batum.

If not because Kahn is incompetent, then I'd draft Jae Crowder, Dion Waiters, Moe Harkless, Tony Wroten, Fab Melo, Terrence Jones, or Lamb.

College Wolf wrote:
Melo no. Waiters seems legit based on the hype, but I have no idea.

Also Wroten = Tyreke in every way I can think of. Errrrm, no.

A Wolf Among Wolves has the worst draft board ever. They assumed that the players that were worked out at the T-Wolves facility were actual T-Wolves prospects for the #18 and not 2nd rounders worked out for the whole league (as was the case). Ridiculous. Asleep at the wheel.

Anyway, here's my draft board at 18.

(Assumed off the board)
Anthony Davis, MKG, Beal, Barnes, Thomas Robinson, Drummond, Sullinger. I just don't see any of those guys dropping significantly below #10.

1. Dion Waiters
2. John Henson
3. Jeremy Lamb
4. Tyler Zeller
5. Terrence Ross
6. Austin Rivers
7. Moe Harkless
8. Jeff Taylor (?)
9. John Jenkins
10. Doron Lamb
11. Jae Crowder
12. Will Barton
13. Jared Cunningham
14. Meyers Leonard

Shred at will.

wolfenstein wrote:
"He's big, he's athletic and he can get to the basket. If his shot wasn't broken, and if he had a better rep as a teammate, he'd be a top-10 pick."

Seriously, it's like someone cloned & mirrored Tyreke so he is left handed and put him at Washington.

If you can could get Tyreke with the 18th pick you should be saying Hallelujah.

And yes that draft board is preposterous.

College Wolf wrote:
Or because Portland values him so highly they likely wouldn't trade him for the #2 pick (especially given the 2 high picks they already have).

pants wrote:
Not on this team. Have you noticed that nobody likes playing in Sacto since Evans got there? He's ball dominant but not a team player. Pass please.

wolfenstein wrote:
Don't the Wolves DRAMATICALLY need a ball-handler on the perimeter?

I understand your point...but Evans is a good talent. The bad chemistry stuff is definitely a legit concern though.

The refrain over the past 3-4 months that a "ballhandler would deplete Rubio's use" is a fallacy. It was a gigantic weakness for the Wolves this past year.