2018 NBA Mock Draft: Who’s moving at the top?

This pick is all about opportunity cost. It makes much more sense for the Timberwolves to invest in an all-offense combo guard in the draft than in free agency, where they would probably have to spend significantly more money before facing the same problem next summer. Holiday can come in and replace Derrick Rose and Jamal Crawford at a cheaper price, with more years of control in the future for Minnesota.

The junior was in Phoenix for a workout this week, signifying that the buzz about him in the middle of the first round is real, though it seemed incredible when he shot up to that spot on ESPN’s big board toward the end of the season. I don’t think he’s worth taking above guys like De’Anthony Melton or Lonnie Walker IV, but I can’t imagine he falls much further than this.

Though he is undersized, Holiday could make some sense as an off-guard option next to Jeff Teague when Minnesota goes to the bench. He shot 42 percent over three years at UCLA and brings some playmaking upside. The problem any team will run into if they take Holiday is that he turned the ball over too frequently to trust him running an offense, but is too small to guard wings.

Simply put, the Wolves seem like the kind of team that is content to ignore that in favor of his shot creation and scoring efficiency. They’ll run the second unit out with him for 15 minutes per game and take whatever he gives them.