The Minnesota Timberwolves hold two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft — No. 28 (via the Detroit Pistons) and No. 59 (via the San Antonio Spurs) — a late first-round and a deep second-round selection. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects Minnesota to add a physical wing and a versatile guard, targeting players who fit the competitive roster structure they’ve built around Anthony Edwards.

At No. 28, Wasserman projects Baylor freshman Tounde Yessoufou to Minnesota. Yessoufou, a 6’5″ guard/forward with American and Beninese citizenship, averaged 19.7 points per game on raw athleticism and physical tools at Baylor, with his shotmaking “on and off throughout the season.” Wasserman acknowledges the three-point stroke remains a developmental swing skill — but notes that flashes like a 37-point eruption against BYU show the potential when it comes together. “Non-playmaking wings typically need to be threatening or reliable shooters,” Wasserman writes, making Yessoufou’s perimeter development the decisive variable for his long-term NBA trajectory.

CBS Sports projects Dailyn Swain to Minnesota at No. 28, while Yahoo Sports projects Sergio de Larrea there. Tankathon aligns with Wasserman and also has Yessoufou going to Minnesota — creating a split between the four outlets. Swain would give Minnesota a bigger, more creation-oriented wing, while De Larrea would add a European playmaker who might not be available for next season. Yessoufou’s athletic profile and two-way potential give him the highest ceiling of the three options if his shooting develops.

The opportunity cost at No. 28 is Koa Peat, the Arizona forward projected to Cleveland at No. 29. Peat offers more immediate interior scoring ability but measured poorly at the combine. Yessoufou’s athleticism and defensive playmaking — three straight seasons of strong steals, blocks, and elite transition impact — make him the higher-ceiling option for a contending team that needs energy and versatility off the bench.

At No. 59 — a second-round pick via the Spurs — Wasserman projects Virginia Tech guard Duke Miles. Miles, a 6’2″ senior who improved his pull-up shooting and ball-screen playmaking throughout 2025-26, brings defensive pressure and a more well-rounded offensive game than he showed in prior seasons. He profiles as a backup guard with specific defensive value and developing off-the-dribble creation.

Minnesota’s two-pick haul makes sense within their championship-contending context. Yessoufou at 28 is a high-upside athletic wing who, if his shooting develops, becomes a rotation piece alongside Edwards. Miles at 59 adds cheap depth at the backup guard spot. For a team that needs to maintain the roster while managing the salary cap around a max-contract core, taking two developmental players who don’t need immediate minutes is smart asset management. Adding a physical wing to push the rotation is exactly the kind of late-first-round value that sustains contention windows beyond the initial star-player boom.

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Tounde Yessoufou (No. 28)
CBS Sports	Dailyn Swain (No. 28)
Tankathon	Tounde Yessoufou (No. 28)
Yahoo Sports	Sergio de Larrea (No. 28)