The Minnesota Lynx will have the sixth and 16th pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. Four days ago, the league announced that the draft will still air on April 17th. But it will now be aired on ESPN instead of ESPN 2.
Despite Lindsay Whalen retiring in 2018 and Maya Moore sitting out the 2019 season, Minnesota finished last season with an 18-16 record. Not to mention the team made it to the playoffs but would lose in the first round to the Seattle Storm.
Minnesota Lynx: 2019 Recap
Last season the team rallied behind head coach Cheryl Reeves and Odyssey Sims who signed during free agency last summer before the season. The Lynx also traded for Lexi Brown last summer and drafted Napheesa Collier with the sixth pick in the 2019 draft.
In addition to Collier, the team selected Jessica Shepard 16th in last year’s draft. But she is still nursing her torn ACL she suffered last season.
Even though, Minnesota exceeded expectations they will have to climb another mountain due to Moore announcing that she will sit out another season. Not to mention the team could be without Simms who may miss the entire 2020 season, per Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan.
The Lynx’s are moving in the right direction but the franchise has to address their needs at point guard and forward.
Here is a preview of the Minnesota Lynx 2020 draft profile:
Draft Pick Number Six
Team Needs: Small Forward/Scoring
Draft Selection: Megan Walker
First off, the Lynx will need to add scoring since they will be without Moore and possibly Simms. Also, the team lost long time vet Seimone Augustus who signed with the Los Angeles Sparks this summer.
With the Sixth pick in the draft, Minnesota needs to select Megan Walker out of Connecticut.
Walker is a scorer who always finds her sweet spot on the floor. She can also shoot from all three phases of the floor. At the end of her junior season, she averaged 19.7 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 45 percent from three.
Megan Walker has been going off this season for UConn! @_megwalker3 pic.twitter.com/XrP5sOrIe9
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) December 9, 2019
The UCONN product is a solid team player, leader and someone who can score in bunches. She would need to work on her defense and one-on-one moves.
On the flip side, this is a perfect fit for Minnesota considering that the franchise is still trying to assemble a core nucleus for the future.
Drafting Walker will be a solid pickup and beneficial for both sides. She will need to develop in certain aspects of her game but she could flourish into a franchise player. Reeves can pull out the best from any player (check her ring count).
Draft Pick Number 16
Team Needs: Floor Leader/Point Guard Play/Scoring
Draft Selection: Kathleen Doyle
The Lynx need to draft a point guard with their second and last pick of the night. During the 2019 season, the franchise lacked depth at the position.
Simms dominated at the one spot but there wasn’t any other player that could contribute. Granted Brown did a good job but she is a pure scorer and defender.
Minnesota needs a pass-first guard who can get others involved and score when needed. With the 16th pick in the second round, the Lynx need to draft Kathleen Doyle out of Iowa.
Selecting Doyle this early may come as a surprise to some but when you look at their roster they need a primary ball-handler.
The Iowa product will contribute right away. She can score and run the offensive while getting her teammates in the proper spaces.
.@IowaWBB finished the season ranked 4th nationally in field goal percentage (48.5) and 6th in assists per game (20).
— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) March 26, 2020
Oh, and they’ve won 36 straight games in Carver-Hawkeye Arena… is that good?! ?| #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/HWJrG3r24y
Doyle will provide toughness and stability in the backcourt. She is a solid scorer and can thrive in the pick-and-roll. She averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 44.1 percent from the floor.
This upcoming draft will be significant for the Lynx, but with Reeves and the front office, they should be fine.
Tune in to the WNBA Draft Friday, April 17th at 7:00 PM E.T.
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