The San Antonio Spurs are sending Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 decide on this 12 months’s NBA draft, to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Spurs added to their future draft decide stash by buying a 2031 unprotected first-round decide and a 2030 top-one protected decide swap from the Timberwolves, in line with sources on Wednesday.
Minnesota provides one other backcourt choice for the staff as Anthony Edwards continues his ascension and final 12 months’s start line guard, Mike Conley, 36, will get nearer to the tip of his profession after finishing his seventeenth NBA season.
Dillingham joined his backcourt mate at Kentucky in Reed Sheppard as a top-eight decide, marking the fourth time Kentucky has had a number of freshman picked within the high 10, breaking a tie with Duke for probably the most by any college.
Dillingham was a 2023-24 All-SEC choice and the SEC Sixth Man of the 12 months final season. He averaged 15.2 factors and three.9 assists whereas taking pictures 44.4% from 3-point vary.
The Timberwolves went 56-26 final season, which was the second-best file in franchise historical past. They made the convention finals for under the second time, and the staff rewarded coach Chris Finch with a four-year extension earlier within the week.
In response to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Minnesota’s luxurious tax invoice climbs from $56 million to $84 million with the addition of Dillingham’s wage.
Due to the Rudy Gobert commerce, the staff had solely two first-round picks out there to commerce this season — the No. 27 decide on this draft and the 2031 decide that went to San Antonio. Minnesota nonetheless owns its 2026 and 2028 picks in addition to {a partially} protected 2030 decide however couldn’t deal picks in consecutive years due to league guidelines.
San Antonio additionally has swap rights with Dallas within the 2030 draft and may decide between the extra favorable of the Minnesota or Dallas picks.
The eighth decide was set to be San Antonio’s second choice of the night time. With the No. 4 decide, the Spurs chosen guard Stephon Fort from UConn. San Antonio nonetheless has the Nos. 35 and 48 picks within the second spherical.