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The Great Debate: Timberwolve’s Choice

The+Great+Debate%3A+Timberwolves+Choice

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Karl-Anthony Towns is everything Minnesota needs to replace Kevin Love

The Minnesota Timberwolves need to make the best choice when it comes to their No. 1 draft pick on Thursday. They are desperately in need of a big man. Not only are they looking for a strong force on the inside, but they also need someone who can drain a three pointer, when necessary. They need Karl-Anthony Towns.

Minnesota was dealt a hard blow when Kevin Love left to join LeBron James in Cleveland in hopes of pursuing a title. Ever since Love left as a free agent, the Timberwolves were left short-handed. They only won 16 games this past season, and the person who can get them out of the gutter is a freshman star from a Kentucky system that produces more and more talent each year.

The former Wildcat did not really get the opportunity to showcase his talents from behind the arc in his lone collegiate season, but this is not a talent he has lost. If anything, putting this on the back burner only helped him develop a focus for his post game. Towns was able to successfully master his game down low while at the same time making sure to maintain his long shot. Now at the the professional level, he can be considered a threat wherever he is on the court.

The NBA seems to be making a move to smaller lineups, something that can only benefit Towns. Golden State just won the championship with a small lineup and when Cleveland tried to match this, they couldn’t find the right balance. It’s a tricky thing to master and Towns’ skills down low, and as someone who can shoot from the outside, only add to his résumé. Minnesota will have to find an answer to the new trend and will also need to find more ways to score points in the paint. The only person capable of successfully doing this at an elite level is Towns.

While he did not average the most amount of minutes per game or even the highest amount of points, he still managed to start every game. Obviously, John Calipari knew he was capable of more, and his hunch was right.

Towns averaged just over 10 points per game, but he displayed his true potential when the Wildcats faced off against the Fightin’ Irish in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. He scored 25 points, and then ended the season with 16 points against the Badgers the following round. He showed up when it mattered most with the brightest lights on him. This is exactly what current Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio needs to help him run his offense.

Rubio is a true point guard and there only seem to be a handful of them left in the NBA. He looks to pass first and Towns will be the right person on the end of that pass. He won’t be the last piece to the puzzle, but he is the start Minnesota is looking for.

Aside from offense, Towns is miles ahead of the other potential number one pick, Jahlil Okafor, on the defensive end. Towns did not nearly play as many minutes as Okafor did during the regular season, only averaging about 21 minutes per game. However, Towns completely dominated the blocks category. Although the SEC was not too competitive this year, blocks are still blocks, and Towns had plenty of them in what time he had on the floor.

 

Although Kentucky did not win a championship this past season, Towns contributed to their near-perfect run. Okafor was on the winning side, but when the lights were on him, his team needed someone else to step up and take over.

Let’s face it, everyone who is supposed to be a dominant factor in the NBA coming out of Duke never really lives up to any of the hype. On the other side, Calipari continues to produce NBA-ready talent.

Both Towns and Okafor are great players and will have successful rookie seasons, but the Timberwolves need a player like Towns to help this team restore what they lost in Kevin Love. Only this time, Towns will not be as dramatic and he will want to show everyone he was picked first overall because he was the best choice.

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Kristaps Porzingis has the versatility and experience to be the #1 Pick

Before reading further, make sure you’re sitting down. In fact, you might want to buckle yourself in, take a few deep breaths and prepare for what I’m about to say. Many have pegged former UK star Karl-Anthony Towns as the No. 1 pick come Thursday night, and while the two-way big is undoubtedly talented, there’s a better option at the top of this draft.

When Adam Silver walks onto the stage in Brooklyn later this week, he will give the traditional Commissioner’s speech before uttering these words to kick things off:

“With the first pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select … Kristaps Porzingis.”

As the crowd gasps in unison and the other teams scramble to figure out what they’ve missed, no one can quite understand how the Latvian mystery forward shot up the draft boards to unseat Towns at the No. 1 spot.

Will this happen? Probably not. Word on the street is Towns is a sure-fire pick for the Timberwolves in the first position, and deservedly so. The guy can bring it down low in the post, he can step up to the perimeter to knock down jumpers and he is a defensive force that can protect the rim, something that cannot be said for all the bigs in this draft.

But let me tell you why Porzingis should be the first pick in this year’s draft. First off, let’s just start with the things you can’t teach. The 7-foot-1 power forward (yes, power forward is his natural position) runs up and down the court like a gazelle, and has the speed, length and height to match up with any current big man in the NBA.

And it doesn’t end there. The reason why Porzingis has been relatively unknown in America is because, well, he hasn’t played here. He’s been playing overseas as a professional in the Spanish ACB league (one of the best internationally) for Cajasol Savilla, and former NBA player and teammate overseas Marcus Landry had something to say for those who haven’t heard of the smooth-shooting Porzingis.

“Honestly, I think Kristaps should be the No. 1 pick if you’re going to base it off potential,’’ Landry said to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times in an interview. “I personally think he’s the best kid in the draft. And I’m not saying that because he’s a friend of mine. I know basketball. I’ve been in the NBA; I’ve been around NBA players. I’d tell you if he sucks. But he’s really good. If he goes beyond No. 2, that would be a mistake on some team’s part.’’

So there you have it. Sure, Landry isn’t Michael Jordan (Landry played just one season in the NBA), but he’s seen the type of competition at the NBA level. After not making it himself, and seeing his brother, Carl, succeed in the NBA, it’s clear Marcus knows talent when he sees it. Even if Landry’s words mean nothing, the fact Porzingis has been playing in a professional league against grown men and former NBA players (just like Emmanuel Mudiay) will only help him in his transition to the NBA.

The obvious weakness of the stretch-four is his lack of physical strength. Porzingis is a lanky guy, and it shows in his play. While he can drain shot after shot from three-point range like “they are layups,” according to Keith Pompey of Philly.com, the Latvian still struggles with his ability to take it to the post. He doesn’t lack moves, or skill, but he is a bit soft, and whichever team drafts him will have to make adding on weight a priority for the big man.

Other than that, this guy is a steal waiting to happen. While people are gushing over Towns and fellow big Jahlil Okafor, many are overlooking the best big man in the draft, Porzingis. Not to mention the agile big man will be looking to run in transition with reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins and athletic specimen Zach LaVine, and fit right into Minnesota’s young core moving forward.

In the end, no one truly knows how he will pan out. Some call him the next Dirk Nowitzki, some call him the next Darko Milicic.

I’m going to stick with The Zinger.

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