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Timberwolves select Zach LaVine with the No. 13 pick in 2014 NBA Draft

Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today Sports

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The Minnesota Timberwolves selected UCLA guard Zach LaVine with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on Thursday night.

Here's your lottery ticket, Wolves fans. LaVine has as much potential as almost anyone in the draft thanks to an obscene amount of length and athleticism, and there's genuine belief in NBA circles that his minimal role at UCLA - he averaged just 9.4 points and 1.8 assists as a freshman - was a matter of him being a long-term project rather than any lack of skill.

Minnesota will now have to determine whether LaVine is a one or a two, a designation that will matter little if he's brought along patiently, as he should be. He's big enough to play shooting guard, anyway, and his jumper should allow him to be dangerous off the ball, but his ceiling rises some if he can find the balance between scoring and creating and manning some point.

It's hard to measure how LaVine fits until the Kevin Love situation is sorted out in Minnesota, but them drafting a shooting guard may indicate that they're no longer interested in Klay Thompson, as reported.

No matter what they do with Love, this is a justifiable pick. If Love stays, LaVine is the kind of high-upside play who could make Love think twice about leaving a talented young core. That might be a stretch, however, especially if you believe Love is leaving regardless. If Love leaves, LaVine becomes a lottery ticket that could provide the team with a key piece for the next era...or provide them with not much at all.

It's certainly a worthwhile gamble given the talent here.

Although LaVine, as evident in this not-safe-for-work clip, may not be as excited:

You can read more about LaVine in our scouting report.

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