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Report: ‘No doubt’ Timberwolves are taking Karl-Anthony Towns with No. 1 pick in NBA Draft

Kentucky at Mississippi State

Kentucky at Mississippi State

TNS via Getty Images

The Lakers are reportedly locked in at selecting Jahlil Okafor with the second overall pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.

If true, that’s good for the folks in Los Angeles -- because another report says that Karl-Anthony Towns is all but certain to go to the Timberwolves at number one.

From Mark Heisler of Forbes:

In the Lakers’ dreams, Minnesota, picking No. 1 in the NBA draft, would take Jahlil Okafor, dropping Karl Towns to them at No. 2, which looked like it could happen but does no longer.

Minnesota GM/coach Flip Saunders, who had been leaning toward Okafor, is said to have turned pro-Towns after seeing him last week in Los Angeles.

The splash sent ripples throughout the NBA. Says an insider: “There’s no doubt, the T-Wolves are taking Towns.”


The crux of that piece is that now things are difficult for the Lakers, and that plenty of options in addition to Okafor -- like Emmanuel Mudiay or D’Angelo Russell, for example -- are worthy of being considered.

But this draft is heavy with talent at the top two positions, and since both Towns and Okafor are projected to be franchise-level additions, don’t expect the Lakers to think too hard about going in another direction.