Minnesota T-Wolves Land No. 4 Pick: What They Should Do with It

Well, it's all been said and done, and now the Timberwolves have to work with the fact that they've got the No. 4 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, and not the expected and coveted No. 2.

Now that they have the fourth pick, they've really got a number of options to look at.

First of all, I think that the Timberwolves need to recognize that their biggest hole is at the wing, where the Wolves are currently situated with Corey Brewer and Wayne Ellington, two players who could dominate their bench together (Brewer a defensive dominance, Wayne the same on offense).

However, Corey has been playing like a starter, so it would be nice to match him with someone else.

But the most important thing with the Timberwolves, in my opinion, is that they keep the No. 4 pick.

Look at 2009. The Wolves took a risk in drafting Rubio, but at least they got two young guns with two picks, instead of trading up. Trading up just seems inconvenient. If the Wolves are going to pursue a higher pick, they shouldn't give up their own in pursuit of it.

Here's what I say. Nets and Wizards are keeping their picks, and 76ers will deal it at the right price. It seems like they'd deal it completely if they get Elton Brand off their books. The Wolves have the money to take that deal, but they probably won't.

So try their best to flip Brand's enormous contract to a winning team.

Give the 76ers Al Jefferson, and they'll fall head over heels to give the Wolves Brand and the No. 2 pick. Then, with their two higher picks, select Evan Turner and DeMarcus Cousins. This leaves the Wolves with Cousins, Love, Turner, Brewer, and Flynn (soon to be Rubio) in their starting lineup.

Then where to go with Brand?

Well we could keep him, but that wouldn't do us any good. Teams that could use him would be some teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Magic, and Cavaliers who are so loaded with their star players that any additional talent is monumental for them, but that would mean that their entire bench would have to be shipped to Minnesota in that deal.

One way that might motivate the Wolves a little bit is to make Brand a Maverick, and to take on Erick Dampier's contract, which is $2.7 million less than Brand's—and more importantly, two years shorter. Dallas is a team that is accustomed to take these kinds of large contracts, and Erick would only be contracted until 2011.

Plus, a lot of the other teams are just filled with expiring contracts, making it unlikely to find another "filler player" to fill Brand's $14.8 million value.

It's a trade that makes sense for multiple sides. The Wolves are much better off this way. If they were going to fill the need and draft Wesley Johnson at No. 4, they'd have this kind of change in roster: Cousins over Jefferson, and Turner over Johnson. I'd take that any day. I'm sure the 76ers and Mavs would too.