The Minnesota Timberwolves won the lottery on Thursday night and earned the rights to the no. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft. The Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Minnesota Timberwolves had 14% chances to get the top pick. Headlining the night was also the Knicks, who slid all the way down to number eight.
This is the second time in six years that Wolves have won the lottery, after choosing Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015.
Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves were the last four teams in contention for top 4 picks. Bulls were awarded the 4th pick and Hornets were awarded the 3rd.
Ironically, for the first two picks, the representatives were Steph Curry for the Bay area and D’Angelo Russell for the Minneapolis team. D’Angelo was traded back in February this year to the Wolves for Andrew Wiggins and a protected 2021 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick. Interestingly, Wiggins was also a No. 1 pick in 2014. Golden State won the second pick and the first overall went to Minnesota.
2020 NBA Draft Lottery Results
- Minnesota
- Golden State
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cleveland
- Atlanta
- Detroit
- New York
- Washington
- Phoenix
- San Antonio
- Sacramento
- New Orleans
- Boston (from Memphis)
Trade Rumors
There were a lot of talks whether the Warriors will keep the highest pick if they get it or if they would try and acquire one more superstar. Second overall is extremely valued on the market, especially with the likes of Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Deni Avdija as some of the best players on this year’s NBA draft.
“It’s weird,” Curry told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols before the draft order was revealed. “You showed that clip of the journey we’ve been on the past five or six years. We want every experience in the league, so now we are in the lottery trying to get a high draft pick.”
With all three superstars back in the starting lineup, the Warriors could attack another championship. They have shown us over the year that they are certainly more than capable of doing so and if splash brothers stay healthy, they can challenge every team in the playoffs. Add to that a hungry Draymond Green and a driven Andrew Wiggins and there is a championship contender.
How Should Minnesota Utilize the Pick?
On the other side, Timberwolves could use the highest pick to acquire another young prospect or try and pair Devin Booker with D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns. There were a lot of talks over the last year that this trade could happen and there is no doubt that this will be a very exciting trade deadline.
“We gotta do this again, when we’re all on the same team,” Russell said in a cover story for The Slam initiating that it might happen someday. “Nah, don’t cut it,” he says to our rolling cameras. “Y’all got it on footage. When we’re all on the same team — I ain’t gonna tell you which team because I don’t know — we’re gonna do this again.”
Since then Towns and Russell got together in Minnesota and it will be very interesting to see whether they will pursue one of the best young players in the league, Devin Booker, or stick with the highest pick.
“I’m glad I could represent for the state of Minnesota at the draft lottery the same way we plan to show out for our fans when we get back on the court,” said Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell. “The number one pick is exciting to have, it makes me think back to when Karl and I got drafted 1 and 2 in the 2015 draft. There’s so much buzz and energy during the draft as a player and I really look forward to seeing what Gersson and the front office will do to build upon our 2020-21 roster with this pick. I know we’re ready to compete and I can’t wait to see who joins us next.”
