Minnesota could luck out with their pick.
The Minnesota Timberwolves pick deep into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at 28th-overall, a pick they acquired from the Detroit Pistons, but that doesn't mean they'll have limited options when it comes to picking up a potentially impactful player.
As the draft draws closer, more clarity has been revealed in potential projections form a variety of mock drafts and in Bleacher Report's most recent mock, one purported to be more informed by insider intel, the Timberwolves could be in a position to pick up a stellar guard out of Duke that may fall further than earlier projections believed.
Bleacher Report has the Timberwolves picking Isaiah Evans, a small forward with the Blue Devils with the 28th pick.
Evans Falling?
Evans has been placed much higher up in previous mock drafts, somewhere in the late teens range, him falling down to the end of the first round is a surprising development, one informed by perceived uncertainties in his game as a shot creator.
What is known about Edwards is how much of a threat he is from the perimeter. He took a major step up in his sophomore season with the Blue Devils, averaging 15 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 38 games.
Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) brings the ball up court on a steal against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half at Spectrum Center. Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesThe biggest change in his game was his aggressiveness from three point range, increasing his attempts beyond the arc from 4.1 per game in his freshman season to 7.4 per game this past season.
The Value He Adds
Having that scoring bag paired with his development inside the paint with his cuts and drives makes Evans a varied scorer that can do wonders to help out the spacing of the team he lands on.
Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) dribbles against Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Eakin Howard-Imagn ImagesThat's exactly what the Timberwolves need. With star Anthony Edwards having a similar mix of three point shooting and capability under the rim, the addition of Evans could give the Timberwolves two diverse scorers that would make them even more of a handful for opposing defenses than Minnesota already was this past season.
To have Evans fall that far in the draft would be a huge blessing for the Timberwolves, even if Evans doesn't address Minnesota's need for a true point guard to pair with Edwards.
Of course, that's a need that can be addressed in the other avenues of the offseason with either a trade or through free agency, but picking up Evans would add yet another weapon to Minnesota's offense that they shouldn't pass up if give the chance.
