The Minnesota Timberwolves entered the 2026 NBA Draft looking to add talent while continuing to reshape their roster. By the end of the week, they had done far more than that.

After selecting with the No. 33 overall pick in the second round, Minnesota followed it up Thursday morning by making the biggest trade of the offseason.

The Timberwolves are reportedly acquiring All-Star guard LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

In exchange, the Timberwolves sent Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks to Charlotte.

The blockbuster trade will understandably dominate headlines, but Minnesota's draft selection shouldn't get lost in the shuffle.

Landing Evans at No. 33 has the potential to become one of the biggest steals of the draft.

Coming out of Duke, Evans was viewed as one of the nation's premier scoring wings.

The former five-star recruit and No. 16 player in the 2024 recruiting class took a major leap during his sophomore season, earning All-ACC, All-ACC Tournament and NCAA All-Region honors.

After averaging just 6.8 points as a freshman in a limited reserve role, Evans blossomed into one of Duke's primary offensive weapons.

He averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and shot 43.3% from the field while knocking down 36.1% of his three-pointers. His ability to score from all three levels, combined with an impressive 86.0% mark from the free-throw line, suggests his shooting will translate well to the NBA.

At 6-foot-6, Evans gives Minnesota another athletic wing with legitimate scoring upside. While his 175-pound frame will need to fill out before he consistently handles bigger NBA defenders, that's a concern every team expected when evaluating him. The talent has never been the question.

The value, however, is what stands out.

The Timberwolves originally acquired the No. 33 pick from the Brooklyn Nets after trading Julius Randle and the No. 28 selection earlier in the week in a salary-clearing move. Instead of selecting Evans late in the first round, Minnesota landed him five spots later on what is expected to be a far more team-friendly rookie contract.

That's smart roster building.

For a franchise that has now committed significant assets to acquire Ball, finding affordable young contributors becomes even more important moving forward.

Evans also lands in an ideal basketball situation.

With Ball and Anthony Edwards expected to headline Minnesota's backcourt, Evans won't be asked to carry the offense immediately. Instead, he can develop as a floor spacer from the second unit.

Few young shooters enter a better environment than one featuring Ball's passing vision and Edwards' downhill scoring ability.

There are still areas Evans must improve. Becoming a stronger defender and adding muscle will determine how quickly he cracks the rotation. 

They simply need him to continue developing the scoring talent that made him one of college basketball's breakout players.

The Ball trade may define the Timberwolves' offseason, but selecting Evans at No. 33 could quietly become one of the best value picks of the entire draft.

If he develops into the player many believed he could become coming out of Duke, Minnesota may eventually look back at Thursday as the day it landed both a franchise point guard and one of the draft's biggest bargains.