Soaring Down South
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NBA Mock Draft 4.0 — Warriors Take Wiseman First, Hawks grab LaMelo

By Dallin Duffy

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamelo Ball of the Hawks celebrates hitting a three point shot late in the final quarter during the round 8 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and the Cairns Taipans at WIN Entertainment Centre on November 25, 2019 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamelo Ball of the Hawks celebrates hitting a three point shot late in the final quarter during the round 8 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and the Cairns Taipans at WIN Entertainment Centre on November 25, 2019 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) /
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NBA Mock Draft
MUNICH, GERMANY – MARCH 07: Deni Avdija of Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv looks on prior to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague match between FC Bayern Munich and Maccabi Fox Tel Aviv at Audi Dome on March 07, 2019 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /

Pick Analysis. SF, Israel. Deni Advija. Prospect Profile. 3. player. 86. Minnesota Timberwolves

With D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Malik Beasley, the T-Wolves have their blueprint for the future, and hitting on this pick would only help Minnesota finally dig out of perennial mediocrity.

They mostly need depth and injury-protection in the draft, and Advija can provide both, and could even start if need be. The Israeli wing is seen as one of the most pro-ready players in the class, someone who could fill the point forward position that’s grown in popularity in recent years.

At 6-foot-9, Advija boasts ball-handling and playmaking skills comparable to the top point guards in the draft, offering much more defensively with his height and switchability.

Athleticism is his biggest hurdle and given some of the athletic phenoms that surround him at the top of the draft, it could become a bigger deal for some teams than it should be. Still, without a quick first step on either end of the court, he could be a liability in transition.

There are likely sexier picks for the T-Wolves to make here, but Advija gives them an exciting mix of streaky shooting and heads-up playmaking.