Subscribe
Follow Us
As soon as the Minnesota Timberwolves landed the number one pick in the NBA Draft, they had a massive decision to make. This year’s draft doesn’t have the clear number one pick like Minnesota had with Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015. On the Locked On Wolves Podcast, host Ben Beecken explained why trading for a veteran like Jrue Holiday makes a lot of sense for the Timberwolves.
Ben Beecken: We talked about Holiday last week. And my belief, I still don't think he's a perfect fit in Minnesota. And I know that there are others who feel differently about that. But my main concern is—I think it'd be a fine fit, I think it would work—his contract situation, the likelihood that he leaves after this year.
And then also some of the injury history. I know there's been a lot of different circumstances recently with Holiday, but there is a little bit of injury history there. I don't love them as a trade partner, but we have to acknowledge that it's realistic that the Wolves would rather, than draft LaMelo Ball, who we think is the best player in the draft, maybe we trade back, pickup Jrue Holiday, and still get a 3 & D wing with the Pelicans' selection, which is number 13.
So it's not great, but you could probably still get a Saddiq Bey or, you know, Aaron Nesmith, who's more of a sharpshooter type prospect at 13, and get Jrue Holiday. It's a two for one; Holiday’s more polished, a much better defender than LaMelo Ball. He could still fill that secondary playmaker role. He's a better shooter than LaMelo Ball at this point.
So, the Wolves immediately, if you add Jrue Holiday and a solid player at number 13, you're a playoff team. I get that the West is loaded, but you can't sit here and tell me this team wouldn't be better than the Memphis Grizzlies or even the Phoenix Suns or whoever with D'Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jrue Holiday all healthy, or even better than New Orleans for that matter. They would be a playoff team.
