NBA Draft 2017: Timberwolves take Justin Patton at No. 16
By Chris Stone
The Minnesota Timberwolves added another center by drafting Justin Patton with the No. 16 pick in the NBA Draft
The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Creighton’s Justin Patton with the No. 16 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. They acquired this pick as part of the Jimmy Butler trade. Head coach Tom Thibodeau’s insistence on playing Karl-Anthony Towns with another frontcourt piece remains a bit odd.
For starters, Minnesota is already incredibly deep in the frontcourt with both Gorgui Dieng and Cole Aldrich on the roster alongside Towns. Second, if the Timberwolves do want to play another big man next to Towns, they’ll want him to be an elite rim protector. That’s not Patton. The 7-footer lacks an elite wingspan and isn’t a terrific vertical athlete.
As a prospect in a vacuum, Patton certainly isn’t a slouch. He’s one of the best rim running centers in the draft, something he showed early on when point guard Maurice Watson was healthy. Patton can get out in transition and finish well out of the pick-and-roll.
He’s also developing some additional offensive tools. Patton has a solid set of post moves that he can work with, using his touch to finish around the rim. He can also shoot it a tad from behind the 3-point arc. If Patton can develop his 3-point range out to the NBA line, he’ll be a dangerous pick-and-roll threat in the NBA.
Next: FanSided 2017 NBA Draft Tracker
Defensively, Patton may not be an elite rim protector, but he is a solid lateral athlete who should be able to handle himself for stretches switching onto guards in the pick-and-roll.
Still, this pick is baffling from the fit perspective as discussed previously. The NBA is a league that is consistently downsizing and marrying your roster to lineups featuring two big men is a dangerous proposition. Thibodeau knocked the early part of the draft out of the park by making a terrific trade for Jimmy Butler, but this one will knock their draft grade down a few notches.
Check out Dunking with Wolves for more Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Draft analysis.