Looks like we picked the wrong year for draft picks.

[revprodeji]

With Motiejunas removing his name from consideration, that makes no less than eight potential lottery picks that that decided to pass on entering the 2009 draft, which surely has to be some kind of record.
Amongst those eight, we counted the following:

Donatas Motiejunas
Willie Warren
Cole Aldrich
Ed Davis
Greg Monroe
Al-Farouq Aminu
Evan Turner
Craig Brackins

Other notable underclassmen that probably would have been first round picks, yet decided to return: Jerome Jordan, Devin Ebanks, Solomon Alabi, Kyle Singler and International Jan Vesely.

Needless to say, teams should be looking to stock up on 2010 draft picks, since it appears to have all the early makings of an excellent group.

[john2jer]

Orlando and Houston are looking to get into the 1st round, see if they want to swap Boston's pick for their pick?

We'll likely have our own pick and Utah's pick, so two in a strong draft is a good start. Plus, if we can make one of shrink's cap trades and get something like we did from Philly, that would be nice.

[C.lupus]

It just seems fitting for this franchise to have 3 firsts this year, then lose their pick to the Clippers next year.

[revprodeji]

Doubt we lose the pick to the clippers. W/o Jefferson and with a new coach and mostly rookies we will likely be in mid-lotto hell.

[jpatrick]

I know this has been thrown around a bit, but I don't remember what most people thought. Would you trade the Miami pick for the conditional #1 owned by the Clippers?

Next year does look like a great draft year. If we could trade the Boston pick for someone's #1 next year, that'd be a nice deal.

[john2jer]

I wouldn't trade the Miami pick for the Clippers pick. Most likely that pick is going to end up either a mid-1st around the area of the Miami pick 2 years from now, or it'll be a 2nd rounder 3 years from now. Little chance in us losing it next year due to how young we'll be and Jefferson out.

We'd have had to win 8 more games this season to have had a chance to lose our pick because of the lottery, or 11 more games to lose it based on record.

[Esohny]

Yes, our luck is indeed brutal.

[C.lupus]

I wouldn't trade the Miami pick for the Clippers pick. Most likely that pick is going to end up either a mid-1st around the area of the Miami pick 2 years from now, or it'll be a 2nd rounder 3 years from now. Little chance in us losing it next year due to how young we'll be and Jefferson out.

We'd have had to win 8 more games this season to have had a chance to lose our pick because of the lottery, or 11 more games to lose it based on record.

I really hope you and rev are right but I'm just not that confident. Al won't miss the entire year. We likely will have a new GM and coach - i.e., there may be a trade or two. All current players will be one year older (and Love will be 10 pounds lighter). We easily could have picked up 8 games this year without Wittless and without Al's injury. Depending on draft luck and trades, a 10 game increase in wins isn't unreachable next year. And, afterall, this is the Minnesota Timberwolves. If there is a way to get screwed on talent, they will find it.

[Calinks]

I'm not so certain Al is going to miss as much time as some of you think.

[Devilzsidewalk]

he won't miss that much time, but there's a strong chance he won't be Big Al right away

[john2jer]

I'm hearing around early January, so that's 2+ months missed, which is about what we ended the season without him. How did we finish the season after he went down? And that was without Witless, and a beasting Kevin Love.

[Devilzsidewalk]

that'd be less than 11 months after his surgery, hope they know what they're doing

[jpatrick]

I wouldn't trade the Miami pick for the Clippers pick. Most likely that pick is going to end up either a mid-1st around the area of the Miami pick 2 years from now, or it'll be a 2nd rounder 3 years from now. Little chance in us losing it next year due to how young we'll be and Jefferson out.

We'd have had to win 8 more games this season to have had a chance to lose our pick because of the lottery, or 11 more games to lose it based on record.

I don't believe it ever becomes a 2nd rounder. In the 2012 draft it simply becomes unprotected if we haven't given it up by then.

I think if Al is healthy from the start next season (big big if) there is a decent chance we'd lose it next season. If it was lotto protected instead of simply top 10, then there would be no chance.

[revprodeji]

Al will likely come back around the same time Love goes down. This is why we do not draft for athletic ability, we need people who can come back from knee injuries.

[Worm Guts]

I don't believe it ever becomes a 2nd rounder. In the 2012 draft it simply becomes unprotected if we haven't given it up by then.

.

That's correct, it eventually becomes unprotected. It was the Boston pick that we got back that eventually turned into a 2nd round pick.

[john2jer]

You're right, it is unprotected in 2012, but by then it will be the 30th pick in the draft, so who cares?

Al Jefferson won't be healthy at the start of the season.

And they're doctors, of course they're clueless. Bunch of quacks, if you ask me. bring him to the tribal medicine man and he'll be right as rain by the second full moon.

[Worm Guts]

Rub some dirt on it, he'll be fine.