So the Timberwolves will more than likely draft in the top 5 in this coming NBA Draft but if they don’t grab
the #1 overall pick who should they take? Lavar Ball can promote his son all he want and if the Timberwolves land the #1 overall pick they will more than likely draft Anthony Edwards who would slot in perfectly alongside D’Angelo Russell but I would not bank on the Timberwolves landing the #1 pick being that they have less than a 20% chance at it. Sure they can take Obi Toppin who can compliment Karl Anthony-Towns in the front-court but LaMelo Ball is the right pick for the Timberwolves. I know, you are already thinking how horrendous Russell and Ball could be in the same back-court and opposing teams will be licking their chops being that Russell nor LaMelo are good defenders but look at the bright side, they are both combo guards who can shoot from the outside,create their own shot, and facilitate shots for teammates. LaMelo Ball stand at a whopping 6’8 and could play both the point-guard and shooting-guard position at the NBA level.
So the question is who should be the point guard and primary ball handler between D’Angelo Russell and LaMelo Ball? I would hand over the ball to LaMelo Ball since he is a better passer and will have a more all-around game than D’Angelo Russell who up until now has convinced me he would much rather go for 40-50 points than get 9-10 assists a night. I’ve watched the Timberwolves sparingly since they traded for D’Angelo Russell and unfortunately Karl Anthony-Towns wasn’t in the lineup for some of those games so it was hard to gauge just how good the Timberwolves will be going into next season being that this season is already lost but it’s clear they need more talent beyond Towns and Russell. Malik Beasley has been a surprise offensively for the Timberwolves and will be a free-agent this summer but if he gets too pricey forgo paying him and draft LaMelo Ball to take his place. This NBA Draft has been the least hyped Draft in quite some time but I am not sleeping on LaMelo Ball and what he could be capable of at the NBA level. He is an elite ball handler and an extraordinary passer a lot like Luka Doncic and is absolutely fearless on the court, my only worries with LaMelo Ball are his defense and efficiency as a shooter at the NBA level but proper development can help him improve in those areas.
The Timberwolves have not been relevant since Kevin Garnett last played there, that is no disrespect to Kevin Love who once played for the Timberwolves but he never took them anywhere during his tenure and was eventually traded to the Cavaliers. Bringing in a player like LaMelo Ball would give the Timberwolves franchise new life and I would be interested in seeing the experiment of having 2 dynamic guards like LaMelo Ball and D’Angelo Russell in the same backcourt. The key to those two co-existing would be D’Angelo Russell deciding to relinquish the basketball and take on a less ball-dominant role where he would play more off the ball and let LaMelo Ball run the offense. We never got to see Steph Curry and D’Angelo Russell suit up together and most thought it would be a disaster but I believe if Curry never got injured early on the Warriors would’ve had a ton of success and maybe would have never moved Russell. Curry plays off the ball a majority of the time and would have had no problem letting Russell run the offense while Curry terrorized teams with his off the ball movement. Adjusting to LaMelo Ball would be a bit different for D’Angelo Russell and will more than likely make his game that much easier since he can play more as a spot up shooter.
LaMelo Ball and Karl Anthony-Towns would be a nightmare on pick and rolls and with D’Angelo Russell roaming at the top of the arc the Timberwolves would have an infinite amount of ways to attack opposing defenses. Russell and Ball can take turns picking apart defenses and the Timberwolves won’t lose a beat if either hits the bench with foul trouble since both can keep everyone on the floor involved. With all the attention Russell and LaMelo will garner by attracting at least 2-3 defenders out the paint will not be clogged for Towns and he would have an easier time scoring down low. I’ve been Sam Cassell and Gary Payton play together in Milwaukee, I saw Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic also in Phoenix, so D’Angelo Russell and LaMelo Ball wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. From a personality stand point, D’Angelo Russell,LaMelo Ball,and Karl Anthony-Towns are all very lighthearted so chemistry should not be an issue as long as they all put their egos aside and focus on building chemistry to become a force in the Western Conference.
To conclude life is all about risks and sure from afar most would say any team with LaMelo and D’Angelo on it will likely allow 150 points a night but I personally like the fit between Russell,LaMelo, and Towns. Everyone is expecting Devin Booker to eventually grow tired of losing in Phoenix and join Russell and Towns in Minnesota but how far away is that? Another 3 years? Plus the Minnesota Timberwolves fan-base is desperate for a winner, they just locked up Towns to a 5 year deal, Russell is locked in for the next 3 seasons, it’s time for the Timberwolves to turn this thing around. Through the draft is where you build a great team, Michael Jordan failed time and time again in Chicago until Jerry Krause drafted Scottie Pippen with the 5th overall pick and once Pippen hit his stride it was over for the rest of the NBA. I’m not saying drafting LaMelo Ball will guarantee the Timberwolves a 3-peat but quick fixes never work out meaning throwing DeMar DeRozan some cash won’t turn things around in Minnesota. Hopefully the Timberwolves draft LaMelo Ball, I’ll definitely become a Wolves fan if they do. Till next time.
D-NBA 