Timberwolves' Ideal NBA Draft Plan Reportedly Doesn't Involve No. 28 Pick

We could be gearing up for another big move for Minnesota during this week's NBA Draft.

Sep 29, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly speaks to the media during media day at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

It's officially NBA Draft week, and it could be a busy week for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They currently own the 28th and 59th overall picks, and The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported on Monday that their preferred strategy might look a lot different.

"If the Minnesota Timberwolves have their way, they won’t be picking at No. 28 in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday night," Krawczynski wrote. "The Wolves’ scenarios include trading the 28th pick as part of a package for a veteran or moving up in the first round."

When Minnesota hosted Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. on a pre-draft workout over the weekend, rumors began circulating that a trade could be in the works. Philon is a potential top-20 prospect, so it was notable that he even accepted a workout with the Wolves, who own the third-to-last pick in the first round.

There's seemingly a new trade rumor every day. Minnesota has been connected to dozens of veterans such as Ja Morant, Derrick White and Kyrie Irving, among others. It feels like the first major domino to fall this offseason will be a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and the Wolves are apparently out of the running for Milwaukee's star forward.

It's naive to even try to predict what deal the Wolves could be involved in that would include moving up, but we're going to do it anyway. One realistic deal that could change Minnesota's draft position would be Julius Randle and pick No. 28 to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Ja Morant and pick No. 16, which is their second of two in the first round.

Other realistic trade partners in the middle of the first round could include Chicago or Charlotte, which have multiple picks on Tuesday night. Toronto at No. 19, San Antonio at No. 20 or Detroit at No. 21 could also make sense as trade partners for Minnesota.

Ultimately, it's pretty silly to guess what Minnesota's move could be this week, but Krawczynski's report backs up the pretty consistent theme that Tim Connelly and the Wolves' front office have and will be aggressive this offseason.

There's also a scenario where Minnesota completely trades out of the 28th pick. The Wolves have been connected to Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea, and he could be available during Wednesday's second round. It's trending to be a busy offseason for the Wolves, so it would be wise to buckle up.