I’m excited about Wes Johnson. Being a Timberwolves fan (maybe at this point, this sentence should start “being the only Timberwolves fan left”), I also get excited when the wind blows and when mail gets delivered. That’s neither here nor there.

Wes Johnson has the potential to be a really nice player. I hate to make comparisons, but I think he can be a versatile guy that does a lot of things for the Wolves. First of all, he’s a guy that should contribute right away. He’s athletic, he’s got NBA length (although he needs to bulk up a bit) and he can shoot.

I’m not as down on the Timberwolves as I’ve been in the past. I think two years from now, they can be back in the playoff hunt. Don’t believe me? Let’s figure that the Wolves are going to be fairly bad and will be in the top 5-7 in the draft next year. Their rotation of players after that year looks something like this:
PG – Rubio/Flynn/Sessions Wings – Johnson/Webster/Brewer/Ellington Bigs – Jefferson/Love/Darko(?)/Pekovic

We don’t know what we’ll get in the NBA draft, but it’s safe to assume that we won’t get the number one pick (Harrison Barnes) because we’re the Timberwolves and such luck for the Wolves would be unheard of. I think it’s safe to assume that we’ll get a player comparable to the players that went 2-7 this year. So now, imagine that lineup along with someone between and Evan Turner and a Greg Monroe in the mix. My guess is that Jefferson will be traded this offseason to a team that fails out in the NBA free agency bidding wars this summer (New York, New Jersey, Washington, LA Clippers, Sacramento, etc). I think it’s fairly safe to assume we’ll wind up with a serviceable player in return for Big Al. As soon as Rubio comes over, we look to move Sessions for not much in return. While we may not be able to get much for Sessions, every year there is a playoff team like the LA Lakers that needs a veteran point guard that can play 15 minutes off the bench. Sessions would be more than serviceable in that roll.

So, in the best case scenario for Wolves fans, you’ve got an all-star point guard. Wes Johnson develops into a Shawn Marion-type wing. Kevin Love develops into a non-thuggish version of Bill Laimbeer. Webster is the shooter on the wing the benefits the most from Rubio’s ability to get in the lane. Darko and Pekovic combine to be a duo of rebounding. Length, and defense (Darko) along with a super-efficent banger in the lane (Pekovic). Flynn provides a ton of offensive pop off the bench like a poor man’s Jason Terry. Brewer develops into an energy guy off the bench who comes in and guards the best wing from the opposing team while shooting the open 3 at a decent rate and running the court well alongside Rubio.

And since I’m going to present the best case scenario… here’s the worst case scenario. Rubio doesn’t come over. Flynn doesn’t develop the ability to run a team. Brewer continues to be our top shooting option even though he’s not a huge scoring threat. Big Al sticks around and sets a league record for most games without an assist. Kevin Love continues to get jerked around. Darko is exactly the player he’s been for the first 6-1/2 seasons in the NBA. Pekovic doesn’t come over. Wes Johnson tears an ACL and loses his athletic ability. Sessions outplays Flynn and mysteriously doesn’t play.

I don’t 100% agree with all of the moves Kahn has made. A lot of them have been made and followed with reassurances that “we’ve got a plan.” It’s still early and I’m still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I do worry, though, that his bad moves have outnumbered his good moves, thus far.

Seemingly bad plays

• Trading Damien Wilkens for the #32 pick
• Drafting Jonny Flynn ahead of Stephon Curry
• Trading Ty Lawson for picks that wound up being Lazar Hayward and Nemanja Bjelica
• Creating tons of cap space while there is no reason for any free agents to come here (unless they hugely overpay)

Seemingly good plays

• Trading Mike Miller and Randy Foye for rights to draft Rubio
• Trading for Darko (no, seriously)

Jury’s Still Out

• Wes Johnson draft pick
• Babbitt and Gomes for Webster

Tomorrow, I'll come back with part two of my Timberwolves post draft thoughts...