Toronto Raptors: Where would Pascal Siakam go in 2016 NBA re-draft?
5. Minnesota Timberwolves – Brandon Ingram
Original pick: Kris Dunn
In some respects, if Brandon Ingram did, in fact, fall to number five in the draft then the Minnesota Timberwolves would feel like they got themselves a steal with the former Duke small forward.
Even now, Ingram is only 21 years old as he embarks upon a new journey with the New Orleans Pelicans after being traded by the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this offseason. There’s a lot of time for Ingram to improve, and he took some strides in that regard this season.
He averaged 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and three assists per game in 52 games for the Lakers last season, before deep venous thrombosis in his right arm cut his season short. All being well, Ingram will fully recover and be ready to go for the Pelicans this season.
But here, he’s now a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and a trio of Andrew Wiggins (who people haven’t given up on yet), Ingram, and Karl-Anthony Towns looks set to take the Timberwolves into the future in good tidings.
The fit is initially questioned but we’ve seen that Ingram and Wiggins are both capable of playing at the shooting guard position, and enough glimpses of Ingram at point guard – something this writer is fond of – to know that, stylistically, this might work.
The question marks on defense are glaring, but allow this team to be fun.
dark. Next. The aging curve of the Raptors has come full circle
You imagine every team would be pleased with their picks in the top 5. Especially the Phoenix Suns, they went from Dragan Bender to Pascal Siakam. It’s rare to go from a Fiat to a Ferrari and now the Suns get one of the best players in the NBA.