Among what we will be looking at in next week's NBA Draft, how many Duke players go in the first round will be at the top of the list. We already know there's one guaranteed with Cameron Boozer possibly going first overall, though there is an expectation that Boozer goes either second or third if things go as planned.
Regardless, there will be other names called, including Isaiah Evans, who should find himself selected in the back end of the first round.
Evans might be only the second Duke player selected in the first round this year, depending on how things fall. There's reason to believe that he should be a first-round pick because of how well he can shoot, as teams around the NBA are often looking for guys who can make shots at a high volume.
Among the interested teams, with the expectation that he goes later in the first round, a few make more sense than others. One team in particular that's now being floated as a potential option is the Minnesota Timberwolves, with him recently predicted to fall to No. 28 to Minnesota.
“Just look at how crucial Mike Conley still was to the Timberwolves in these playoffs. But he's 38. And Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland will both be upcoming free agents. The Wolves might need a secondary shot creator that can double up as a scorer. Evans is the kind of shooter that defenses guard and think they've got him contained, then he uses a screen and catches it off a full sprint, moving away from the rim, and somehow manages to rise into a perfect 3-pointer.
“He's a legitimate sharpshooter with the off-ball chops to thrive without even running any offense for himself, and he also has a developing handle that could unlock more creation chances. But he's still a perimeter-based player who needs to add more layers to his game to become a complete offensive talent,” Kevin O’Connor wrote.
In the NBA Playoffs, having a player of Evans' caliber able to hit tough threes is perhaps as valuable as anything else.
He'll definitely have some learning curves in the NBA, just as all young guys who are drafted late in the first round do more often than not, but he's certainly a good fit for a contending team like the Timberwolves, who could use a contributor instantly.
I like the fit if Anthony Edwards continues to get his team open looks, which he's proven he can do throughout his early career.
