‘We’re gonna pick the best player available,” Rosas said, laughing, in an exclusive video interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I’ll reveal that secret to you here.” Rosas can afford to smile, because for the first time in franchise history, the Timberwolves moved up. And now they control the draft. “There’s a lot of little things you gotta get right,” Rosas said. “But as you focus on those little things, it’s very encouraging to have the opportunity to have a big thing go right, and that’s the lottery.”
Tag: Gersson Rosas
Still, there is no clear-cut No. 1, …
Still, there is no clear-cut No. 1, leading some skeptics to refer to this as a “down” year for the draft. Rosas, however, doesn’t agree with that assessment. “I’d argue that there’s talent in every draft,” he said. “Just because there’s not a specific top guy, or multiple top guys, having been identified … the ability to be No. 1 in the draft is very impactful. The opportunity to draft a player, trade that player, that that pick gives us a lot of opportunities, and gives our organization an opportunity to take a big step forward.”
That makes this pick ripe for a trade. …
That makes this pick ripe for a trade. Rosas is one of the most aggressive general managers in the league. Sources around the league already expect that he’ll work the phones over the next couple of months at least to see what’s out there on the market.
The consensus around the league is that …
The consensus around the league is that this will simply be a value play for Rosas, not necessarily one based upon a specific timeline they want to adhere to. Remember: Rosas and executive vice president Sachin Gupta come from the Houston school of thought under Daryl Morey, where they think of most assets in regard to trade value. If they decide an offer is good enough, the thought is he’ll take whatever he thinks is the most valuable for the organization long-term, versus the one that will help them win this year. Maybe it’s player capital, maybe it’s additional draft capital in a trade down. One thing most teams want to do league-wide is potentially expand their draft capital in the much stronger 2021 draft, so may it’s a trade out involving a big offer. Maybe they do just stand pat. But the Wolves are absolutely going to explore what’s available.
But as Minnesota Timberwolves president …
But as Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas told NBC Sports NBA Insider Tom Haberstroh on “The Habershow,” draft classes can’t be accurately evaluated until those players all have been in the league for a few seasons. “I’m a big believer [that] there’s talent in every draft, but you can’t grade a draft until at least three or four years out,” said Rosas, whose team holds the No. 1 overall pick. “That’s what makes our job so complicated. It’s not about just picking the right player. It’s about the player being picked into the right system, health, opportunity, and the execution or the maximization of that talent. “The reality is we don’t know. Everybody has a quick narrative on certain drafts, and even this one in particular.”
Wolves open to trading No. 1 pick
Jon Krawczynski: Trading No. 1 is an option for Wolves. Rosas: “We have an open mind as we go through all of this. We want to do what’s best for this organization. And it means being thorough, being diligent and looking at every option. Draft, trade, free agency, whatever the case may be.”
Christopher Hine: Rosas: “They talk …
Christopher Hine: Rosas: “They talk about this as being similar to past drafts, the Anthony Bennett draft for example, but to be fair the reigning MVP was a part of the draft. We have to do our job.”
“We couldn’t be more pleased to land …
“We couldn’t be more pleased to land the first overall pick in this year’s draft, marking only the second time in franchise history,” said Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas. “We are excited for the possibilities ahead of us to bring in a high caliber player now that we secured the first overall selection. As a front office, we are proud of what we’ve built here in Minnesota so far and we are looking forward to continuing to build upon that foundation in this year’s draft.”
Gersson Rosas: “We know with the number …
Gersson Rosas: “We know with the number one pick we have the opportunity to draft an impact player who could immediately complement our young, strong core in All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns and All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell. The front office and I are prepared to get right to work with this new component for the draft and we’re confident we will be able to bring energy and excitement to our fanbase with our next moves.”
“I’m glad I could represent for the …
“I’m glad I could represent for the state of Minnesota at the draft lottery the same way we plan to show out for our fans when we get back on the court,” said Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell. “The number one pick is exciting to have, it makes me think back to when Karl and I got drafted 1,2 in the 2015 draft. There’s so much buzz and energy during the draft as a player and I really look forward to seeing what Gersson and the front office will do to build upon our 2020-21 roster with this pick. I know we’re ready to compete and I can’t wait to see who joins us next.”