NBA Mock Draft 2019: The Pelicans are in the driver’s seat
11. player. 86. . F/C. Kentucky. P.J. Washington
The Timberwolves are in a fantastic position to find their power forward of the future in this draft and solidify a modern frontcourt with Karl-Anthony Towns at the helm. Between Washington, Brandon Clarke and Sekou Doumbouya, three very good and very different options sit ready to be drafted right in the range Minnesota will pick. In fact, all three could be available here at No. 11.
There are also persistent and confusing rumors connecting the Timberwolves to Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura, yet Minnesota continued to bring in draft prospects throughout June and the team’s new front office comes from an analytics background, making the inefficient and low-instinct Hachimura a puzzling fit.
Take it from Sam Vecenie, who covers the draft over at The Athletic:
"“Call me skeptical that Rosas would have promised a player without going through a pre-draft process, and then continued to go through the pre-draft process by bringing in additional prospects such as Nassir Little and Doumbouya, all the while having assured the Timberwolves draft slot to Hachimura? Something just doesn’t line up there, at all.”"
Minnesota is one of the toughest teams to gauge going into the draft tonight because of these rumors. From our perspective, Washington’s playmaking ability and spot-up shooting make him a fun fit next to Towns who would allow Minnesota to space the floor nicely and potentially build a roster with above-average playmaking at every position. Washington could simply be thought of as a more modern Taj Gibson, a player who has worked well with Towns over the years.