Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE/Getty Images
The Timberwolves finished an NBA-worst 17-65 in 2010. They were going through the growing pains of a young roster. Only four members of the squad (Martell Webster, Sebastian Telfair, Luke Ridnour and Darco Milicic) had more than four years in the league.
There were two elite prospects in the upcoming draft to add their young core: Duke G Kyrie Irving, despite only playing 11 games his freshman season and Arizona F Derrick Williams, who many analysts thought should be the top pick in the draft.
The Wolves, with the worst record in the league, had a 25% chance of getting the top pick, but their bad lottery luck struck again. The top pick was awarded to the LA Clippers, who had a 2.80% of being awarded the top pick. But LA had traded their first rounder pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Baron Davis in exchange for Jamario Moon and Mo Williams.
It seems silly now, but there was a lot of debate on who the top
pick should have been in the 2011 NBA Draft
The Wolves, with the worst record in the league, had a 25% chance of getting the top pick, but their bad lottery luck struck again. The top pick was awarded to the LA Clippers, who had a 2.80% of being awarded the top pick. But LA had traded their first rounder pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Baron Davis in exchange for Jamario Moon and Mo Williams.
The Wolves were awarded the second overall pick.
The Cavs, still reeling from LeBron James' move to Miami, took Irving as the next star of the Cavaliers.
Irving was Rookie of the Year, a 4-time All Star and an NBA Champion in six seasons with Cleveland
Photo/David Richard, USA TODAY Sports
The Wolves had a variety of options for the second pick. They didn't necessarily need to draft a forward at number two. They had a blossoming Kevin Love on the roster, as well as other young assets like Michael Beasley, Corey Brewer, Wesley Johnson and Anthony Tolliver. In addition, they were still invested in the often-injured Martell Webster, whom they had acquired in a trade from Portland.
Other than Irving, there weren't any really any standout guards in the draft worthy of the second overall pick. Plus with In hindsight, somebody like Kemba Walker or Klay Thompson would have been a great pick at two (Walker went 9th to Charlotte, Thompson went 11 to Golden State).
The Wolves had used five consecutive first-round picks on guards: OJ Mayo (who was traded for Kevin Love) in 2008, Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington in 2009 and Wesley Johnson (who was converted to SF) in 2010.
Or, they could do what Wolves GM David Khan did best, they could trade back in the draft and amass picks.
Khan went with his 'asset accumulation' strategy and selected who he thought was the best player available: Derrick Williams.
Not many people thought Williams would be in Minnesota for very long. The sophomore had a very high ceiling. He was a critical part in knocking defending NCAA Champion Duke from the NCAA tournament that year, plus he had a great blend of size, athleticism and scoring ability. He was named PAC-10 Player of the Year, averaged nearly 20 points per game and shot 60% from the floor including 57% from beyond the arc.
But Khan kept him on the roster and the 20-year old Williams broke camp with the Wolves.
Williams had a disappointing rookie campaign, averaging 8 points per game off the bench while shooting 41% from the floor and only 26% from three point range. While he was able to assert his 6'8" 240 lb frame in college, it wasn't working in the NBA. He showed glimmers of potential, but nothing consistent. His speed was an issue on defense because he wasn't fast enough to guard Small Forwards, and not big enough to handle Power Forwards in the paint.
His sophomore season was better averaging career highs in points (12.0), minutes (24.6) and three point percentage (33%) and started 56 games, but his consistency was still an issue.
After appearing in only 11 games for the Wolves in 2013, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Luc Mbah a Moute. New Wolves GM Flip Saunders said the while he liked Derrick, he didn't think he could fit in as a small forward in Rick Adelman's system. He started to find his niche as a rotation guy off the bench for the Kings. In his sixth game as a King, he scored a career-high 31 points against the Mavericks and then dropping 26 against the Wolves a a couple months later, it looked like the Wolves had given up on him too early.
But he showed he would have one big game, then disappear for the next six or seven. He began to see fewer and fewer minutes once the Kings traded for Rudy Gay.
He averaged 8 points and 22 minutes per game during his year and a half in Sacramento.
His rookie contract expired after the 2013 season, and he bounced around the league with the New York Knicks, Miami Heath, Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Lakers before disappearing completely.
Once heralded as the top prospect in the draft, Williams was out of the league by the time he was 27 years old.
Oh yeah, Tom Thibodeau and the Chicago
Bulls drafted Jimmy Butler 30th overall
The Wolves had used five consecutive first-round picks on guards: OJ Mayo (who was traded for Kevin Love) in 2008, Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington in 2009 and Wesley Johnson (who was converted to SF) in 2010.
Or, they could do what Wolves GM David Khan did best, they could trade back in the draft and amass picks.
Khan went with his 'asset accumulation' strategy and selected who he thought was the best player available: Derrick Williams.
Not many people thought Williams would be in Minnesota for very long. The sophomore had a very high ceiling. He was a critical part in knocking defending NCAA Champion Duke from the NCAA tournament that year, plus he had a great blend of size, athleticism and scoring ability. He was named PAC-10 Player of the Year, averaged nearly 20 points per game and shot 60% from the floor including 57% from beyond the arc.
But Khan kept him on the roster and the 20-year old Williams broke camp with the Wolves.
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
Photo/Leora Miriam Maccabee
Williams had a disappointing rookie campaign, averaging 8 points per game off the bench while shooting 41% from the floor and only 26% from three point range. While he was able to assert his 6'8" 240 lb frame in college, it wasn't working in the NBA. He showed glimmers of potential, but nothing consistent. His speed was an issue on defense because he wasn't fast enough to guard Small Forwards, and not big enough to handle Power Forwards in the paint.
His sophomore season was better averaging career highs in points (12.0), minutes (24.6) and three point percentage (33%) and started 56 games, but his consistency was still an issue.
After appearing in only 11 games for the Wolves in 2013, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Luc Mbah a Moute. New Wolves GM Flip Saunders said the while he liked Derrick, he didn't think he could fit in as a small forward in Rick Adelman's system. He started to find his niche as a rotation guy off the bench for the Kings. In his sixth game as a King, he scored a career-high 31 points against the Mavericks and then dropping 26 against the Wolves a a couple months later, it looked like the Wolves had given up on him too early.
Photo/Getty Images
But he showed he would have one big game, then disappear for the next six or seven. He began to see fewer and fewer minutes once the Kings traded for Rudy Gay.
He averaged 8 points and 22 minutes per game during his year and a half in Sacramento.
His rookie contract expired after the 2013 season, and he bounced around the league with the New York Knicks, Miami Heath, Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Lakers before disappearing completely.
Once heralded as the top prospect in the draft, Williams was out of the league by the time he was 27 years old.
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