The Minnesota Timberwolves are a team that’s historically struggled to make the most out of its opportunities in the NBA draft. They drafted Kris Dunn with a top-five pick, who averaged under 4 points per game in his one season with the team. They drafted Derrick Williams at No. 2 overall in a draft with Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker and Nikola Vucevic still on the board. Timberwolves fans also need no reminder about drafting Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn with consecutive picks immediately before Steph Curry.

Yet, in a year in which the Timberwolves didn’t possess a first-round draft pick, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly seems to have made the mark in the draft after his first season with the team, selecting Leonard Miller and Jaylen Clark with the 33rd and 53rd overall picks in this year’s draft.

What Miller brings to the Timberwolves is another versatile defensive wing. While the Jarred Vanderbilt comparisons aren’t entirely accurate due to his lack of discipline on the defensive end — Miller has a tendency to bite on pump fakes — he has the size and athleticism to defend guards and bigs, though his lateral quickness limits how long he can defend quicker players on the perimeter.

The only real concern about Miller is his lack of a jump shot. He shot 56% from the field and 66% at the rim last season with the G League Ignite, but his 3-point shot was 33% on just over two attempts per game. Even when open, he often hesitated and appeared to psych himself out of the shot.

His lack of ability to space the floor isn’t a concern in itself, but it is concerning when comparing how he fits into Minnesota’s rotation. When Rudy Gobert was on the floor last season, the Timberwolves often struggled to open up lanes for Anthony Edwards to drive to the rim. Naz Reid is an excellent signing for the value the Timberwolves got him, and while his 3-point shooting is good for a center, it does double down on the Timberwolves’ emphasis on bigs. Adding in a wing who struggles to shoot from long range isn’t necessarily what Minnesota needs when it’s trying to build around Anthony Edwards.

Still, anyone with upside and an ability to defend in the second round is always a great value.

Even with Clark, the guard out of UCLA who missed the end of his senior season and likely most or all of next season with an Achilles injury, the Timberwolves added more grit on the perimeter. Like Miller, Clark also struggles with his 3-point shot, but his pesky defense on the perimeter and his great basketball IQ fill a niche that Minnesota has needed to fill since it traded Patrick Beverly last offseason.

Tim Connelly said to the Star Tribune that the team was largely looking for culture-setters with its second-round pick, but Clark is a player that was a first-round talent before his injury. Motor can’t be coached, so for Minnesota to pick up two second-rounders with upside, the future looks bright for the Timberwolves under Connelly.

For more from Jake McNeill, listen to The Ankle-Breaker podcast on Spotify or Apple Music with new episodes every Friday. He can also be found on Twitter @JakeMcNeill_