Minnesota

Timberwolves

Chicago made the pick, but Zikarsky will be headed to Minnesota via trade. He played the last two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets, making an impact in limited minutes. Last season, he provided 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.7 blocks across 12.2 minutes per game. In his only professional start, Zikarsky finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three swats. Standing 7’2 and weighing in at 227 pounds, the Australian big man can make an impact as a lob threat and rebounder, though he’s still a raw talent on both ends of the floor. Zikarsky will be the third-tallest player in the NBA next season behind Victor Wembanyama and Zach Edey. As for his potential impact in Minnesota, he’s a bit of a project but should have time to develop as Rudy Gobert continues to man the middle.

The Lakers traded pick No. 45 and cash to Minnesota to select Thiero. This comes after the Lakers traded pick no. 55 and cash to the Bulls to get the 45th pick. Money talks. Thiero spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Kentucky before transferring to Arkansas, where he enjoyed a breakout campaign. The 6’6, 218 pound forward averaged 15.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks with the Razorbacks during the 2024-25 campaign. He’s a poor three-point shooter, but he’s got length, athleticism and defensive skills in spades while he develops his range from beyond the arc. He should be a solid reserve defender for the Lakers that can get some transition buckets off of Luka Doncic and LeBron James passes.

While Minnesota made this pick, it was done on behalf of the Suns. Fleming earned All A-10 honors as a junior with St. Joe’s behind averages of 14.7 points, 8.5 boards, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.5 swats and 1.8 triples across 31.3 minutes per game. The big-bodied forward provided efficient 53/39/74 shooting splits and strong defense. At 6’8, 232 pounds, Fleming has the size to guard multiple positions, and he’s got a sweet touch from beyond the arc. He profiles as a three-and-D specialist at the next level, playing most comfortably at forward but potentially deployed as a small-ball center. Given how poor the Suns were defensively last season, Fleming has the tools needed to make an impact on that end of the floor.

This was an aggressive 10-minute stretch from the Suns. Reports from Charania indicate that Phoenix is leaning towards Rasheer Fleming with this pick, and he would be an incredible three-and-D addition for them after he slid to round two. They also still have the 41st pick, which they will likely use to address the point guard position. Kam Jones, Tyrese Proctor and Javon Small would all be interesting options.

The Frenchman stands nearly seven feet tall and has a 7’4.5” wingspan, which could translate into dominant defensive production. He won’t turn 19 until November, and he’s an incredibly raw prospect as he didn’t start playing basketball until 2021. He played a limited role in Slovenia this past season, so the numbers aren’t pretty, with averages of 5.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 18.2 minutes per game. It may take some time for him to figure things out, but he could turn into an impactful player on defense that can provide traditional center stats for fantasy managers. He’ll get to learn the position from fellow French big man Rudy Gobert, which could be a big boon to his development in the Association.

With Randle and Reid have player options for next season, and while there hasn’t been any official update about whether they will pick those options up or not, Finch expects them to remain in Minnesota. That could mean they decline their options and sign new contracts; it would be surprising if Reid accepted a $15 million option for next season. If he signs elsewhere, Reid could find a starting role, which would be ideal for his fantasy production.

While Finch, Houston’s Ime Udoka and Dallas’s Jason Kidd have all been mentioned as people of interest regarding the Knicks’ head coaching vacancy, all are expected to stay put in their current roles. Tuesday night, Charania reported that formal requests to speak with Finch and Udoka were denied by their respective franchises. As for Kidd, The Athletic reported that Dallas expects him to stay, with the head coach possibly looking for a contract extension with the Mavericks.

Reid has been one of the best reserves in the NBA over the last few seasons. If he chooses to test the free agent waters, it could be to simply gauge his value and earn a fair contract. It doesn’t guarantee that he will leave Minnesota, though if he is able to find a team that wants to him to start, that could be the best thing for his fantasy value. In that scenario, he would be drafted much earlier in fantasy drafts next season.

DiVincenzo’s first season in Minnesota ended with a thud, despite the solid rebound tally. It was expected that his fantasy value would take a hit after being traded to the Timberwolves, as evidenced by the Yahoo! ADP of 106. DiVincenzo finished ranked outside the top-100 in eight- and nine-cat formats, providing slightly higher value in the former. His value for next season will depend on what happens with fellow reserves Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid. While NAW will be an unrestricted free agent, Reid has a player option. If one (or both) leaves, that would raise DiVincenzo’s fantasy ceiling, especially with starting guard Mike Conley not getting any younger.