Timberwolves Predicted to Pick Rasheer Fleming in NBA Draft Round 2

There's belief that the Timberwolves front office will have most of the roster intact for next season, with one exception. Some analysts speculate that backup Nikeil Alexander-Walker will leave as a free agent, which opens up roster spots for new talent.

According to ESPN's mock draft for the second round, Minnesota will select forward Rasheer Fleming, one of the best players available at the No. 31 spot. 

Interestingly, he's another big, measuring at 6-foot-9 and bringing a 7-foot-5 wingspan. He played two seasons for Saint Joseph’s, averaging 10.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game last season.

Along with that, his 52.8 percent field goal shooting and 32.4 percent three point shooting are attractive stats, suggesting he could help contribute to the Wolves' offense.

A Hoops Hype scouting report praised his defensive versatily and referred to him as an “elite spot-up shooter for his size.” That's not something that scouting reports mentioned with Beringer, although both players are still raw talents in need of time to develop.

There are some weaknesses the outlet mentioned for Fleming, including shaky ballhandling and decision making on close-outs. In addition, they say his defensive technique is “still raw,” and the underdeveloped prospect has issues with free-throw shooting and mid-range game.

"There's a premium on length, shooting and potential defensive versatility in the NBA, and Fleming could bring all three to a team with the patience to develop his awareness and technique defensively while the game hopefully slows down for him offensively," ESPN's Jonathan Givony wrote in his mock draft remarks.

It's mentioned that a team would need to have patience as Fleming develops his game. The Wolves are a team that's already contending in the Western Conference and seems to have time for development of rookie players.

Thursday night's second round opens with Minnesota's No. 31 pick, and other players also available, including Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud, and Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier. However, it appears Fleming could ultimately become a Timberwolves role player who most fits their needs for the future.