Kris Dunn

NBA general managers really like Towns, Dunn

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:34 p.m. ET

foxsports

If you're excited about watching Karl-Anthony Towns and Kris Dunn play for Minnesota Timberwolves, well, you're not alone.

In the annual survey of the NBA's general managers by NBA.com, Towns and Dunn -- as well as head coach Tom Thibodeau -- are among those who are thought of highly.

When asked which player in the NBA they'd sign if starting a franchise, Towns was easily the No. 1 choice among GMs, receiving 48.3 percent of the vote. Golden State's Kevin Durant was next at 48.3 percent and Cleveland's LeBron James was third at 17.2 percent.

Towns was also second in the voting for the player to most likely have a breakout season, at 13.8 percent, behind Phoenix's Devin Booker, who received 31.0 percent of the vote. Minnesota's Andrew Wiggins tied for fourth in the voting with 6.9 percent.

Entering just his second season in the NBA, Towns was also tagged as the fifth-best center in the league.

Interestingly, general managers did not think Towns would win Rookie of the Year last season -- the top vote-getter was Philadelphia's Jamil Okafor. In 2016-17, however, GMs think Dunn will be the top rookie. Dunn received 46.7 percent of the vote -- well ahead of the second-place finishers, who were at 13.3 percent.

Dunn also finished second when asked which rookie will be the best player in five years, finishing behind only Philadelphia's Ben Simmons, who was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Dunn, who was taken with the fifth overall selection, also finished second in the voting for which rookie was the biggest steal of the draft. Dejounte Murray, taken at No. 29 by San Antonio, finished first with 23.3 percent of the voting, just a little ahead of Dunn's 16.7 percent.

Also new to Minnesota this year is Thibodeau, and the GMs largely think he'll have the biggest impact among new coaches, garnering 78.3 percent of the vote.

Thibodeau also received 60 percent of the vote from GMs when asked which head coach has the best defensive scheme in the league. Greg Popovich was second at 33.3 percent. Popovich won this vote last year at 31.0 percent. So, yeah, GMs think a lot of Thibodeau's defenses. Perhaps that's why Minnesota also was the clear winner -- with 56.7 percent of the vote -- on which team GMs thought would be most improved this season.

Other Wolves to appear in the survey:

-- Andrew Wiggins received votes for best international player.

-- Zach LaVine was third (with 10.3 percent) in most athletic player.

-- Ricky Rubio was third (with 10.3 percent) in best passer.

The general managers were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel.