Some good and bad as anonymous execs, scouts review Dillingham, Shannon Jr.

Now that the Summer League is over, the 2024 first-round draft picks can be reevaluated.

Mar 27, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) practices before round 3 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

More than a month has passed since the NBA draft and the Summer League has played out to allow smart basketball people a chance to review the first-round picks. In Minnesota, we know that both Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. flashed impressive skills and potential for the Timberwolves, but how do non-locals feel about them?

ESPN presented a handful of rookie-related questions to 20 anonymous NBA executives and scouts and the results were both good and bad for Dillingham and Shannon Jr., who went to Minnesota witht eighth and 27th overall selections, respectively.

Dillingham received one vote for which rookie will prove to be the best pick in the draft but he also received two votes for which pick was the biggest reach in the draft. Minnesota took Dillingham at No. 8, which is in the ballpark of where most mock draft had him going.

Which rookie will turn out to be the biggest draft steal? Bub Carrington of the Wizards led the vote with five tallies, but Shannon Jr. came in second with three votes. Shannon is 25 years old and flashed scoring ability throughout the Summer League.

He could play a key scorer's role off the bench for a Minnesota team that struggled to put the ball in the hoop when Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns is on the bench.

Shannon's explosiveness and defensive playmaking stood out in Las Vegas, with his first two games in particular leaving a good impression. He scored 25 points against New Orleans and 19 against Indiana and recorded multiple blocks in both games. His slide to the 27th pick could give Minnesota a useful bench contributor next season.

Neither Dillingham nor Shannon Jr. received votes when the annonymous execs and scouts were asked to predict the rookie of the year, which is fair because both are projected to come off the bench. If Mike Conley were to suffer an injury, Dillingham could be forced into a starting role and if that happens his rookie of the year chances could skyrocket.