NBA Draft 2016: 5 players Minnesota Timberwolves need to target

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Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League attends a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016.Bender’s name is not yet well known beyond hardcore basketball fans, but that may soon change. Bender is expected to be highly sought after by US professional basketball teams in the coming months./ AFP / JACK GUEZ (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images) /

4. Dragan Bender – International

Especially after taking Towns with the top pick last year while also having Dieng as a heavy part of the rotation, some might be a bit surprised to see two big men as the first two suggestions here. While that’s fair, the right type of big man as the third guy in the rotation moving forward in Minnesota could be of great benefit to the Wolves. Moreover, Dragan Bender most definitely isn’t your prototypical big man.

Much in the same way that Ellenson’s ability to stretch the floor offensively would be an interesting cog to add to the Timberwolves’ system, you can say the same thing about Bender’s ability to bring versatility to the table as well. However, Bender should be targeted a little bit more seriously than Ellenson for a couple of reasons.

For one, the upside with Bender is tremendously higher than it is with Ellenson. Bender is a far better athlete than the Marquette product and is also younger and lengthier. Given that, Bender has to be looked at as potentially being able to reach heights as an all-around threat on the court in the NBA that Ellenson simply just doesn’t have. Moreover, the Wolves wouldn’t have to trade down for it to make sense. If they get frisky and want another big, my vote would go to Bender if he’s still on the board.

Next: No. 3 Murray

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