The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is complete, and Terrence Shannon Jr. has a new home.
It was a great two-year run with the Illinois basketball program, as Shannon took the Illini to great heights. But it was time for him to spread his wings and find a new home in the NBA.
While there were some landmines when it came to potential landing spots, the Minnesota Timberwolves stepped up at pick No. 27 and took Shannon. This was a great pick for the Timberwolves.
Here are three big reasons why the Minnesota Timberwolves were a perfect landing spot for Terrence Shannon Jr.
1. NBA Championship ring is a legitimate possibility
When the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft got to pick No. 20, I started to really lock-in. Which franchise was going to take Terrence Shannon Jr?
I pegged the two New York Knicks picks as a strong possibility. They picked No. 24 and No. 25. They traded No. 24 to the Washington Wizards, and I was sweating that selection. I didn’t want Shannon to go to the Wizards.
Thankfully, Shannon dropped to No. 27. Just getting drafted into the NBA is a huge accomplishment, and landing anywhere among the 30 teams is a lifelong dream fulfilled. But let’s be honest, there are a handful of franchises in the NBA that are in purgatory. Washington is one of those franchises.
Landing in Washington might have gotten Shannon more playing time, but he is only going to win 15-20 games per season. With Minnesota selecting the former Illini guard, he now has a chance to not only get to the playoffs, but the Timberwolves are one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship.
In general, the back half of the first round had a lot of those franchises. Going in the top half of the first round would have been tough, but from pick No. 20 to No. 30, there were only the Wizards and Utah Jazz that gave me worry. I would argue, that besides the Denver Nuggets, the Timberwolves are best set up to make a run at the Larry O’Brien Trophy. This was a great landing spot for Shannon.