A big reason why Kevin Durant wasn’t traded and Donovan Mitchell remains on Utah’s roster is that the Timberwolves gave up multiple rotation pieces and first-round picks for a player who’s averaged 12.4 points in his career.
The haul that the Jazz received for Rudy Gobert included Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler, and four future first-rounders. All but one of those picks are unprotected.
Of course, Minnesota didn’t acquire Gobert for his offensive skills. Minnesota led the NBA last season with a 115.9 point average but ranked 24th in points allowed (113.3) and 16th in defensive field goal percentage (46.0%).
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will provide an imposing presence it has lacked at that end of the floor. Gobert is also a prolific rebounder — he led the league in that category last season — and one of the NBA’s top shot-blockers.
By surrendering so many assets, Minnesota essentially took an “all-in” approach, viewing Gobert as the missing piece to a title contender. The Timberwolves now have their own Big Three in Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and Gobert.
Towns is one of the league’s most prolific scorers, as he displayed in his 60-point game in March. He has finished as a top-20 scorer in five of his seven NBA seasons.
There were doubts about Edwards when he was chosen with the first overall pick in 2020 but he has been an offensive force since the second half of his rookie campaign. Edwards averaged 21.3 PPG in his second season and was even more dangerous in six playoff games (25.2 PPG).
The starting lineup is rounded out by point guard D’Angelo Russell and Jaden McDaniels. Russell has been a trade candidate after some poor playoff performances (33.3% shooting, 12 PPG) but he’s averaged nearly 18 points in his career. Last season, he also averaged a career high in assists (7.1 APG) with low turnover numbers (2.5 per game).
Minnesota insisted on keeping McDaniels in trade talks with Utah. A late 2020 pick, McDaniels is viewed by the franchise as one of the top young defensive wings in the league.
The trade sapped the Timberwolves’ depth and they tried to fortify it by using a chunk of their mid-level exception on forward Kyle Anderson. They also added sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and veteran guard Austin Rivers on one-year deals. They still have Jordan McLaughlin to back up Russell and Naz Reid as the primary reserve big man.
The Timberwolves led the league in 3-pointers made (14.8 per game) last season, though percentage-wise they’re just average in that category. Towns is the only member of the lineup who’s an above-average shooter from deep.
Another concern, especially in the postseason, is whether they can keep Towns and Gobert on the floor at the same time when opponents go with small-ball units.
That brings us to our question of the day: Did the acquisition of Gobert make the Timberwolves a serious contender for the NBA championship? If not, what else do they need to reach that level?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
TWOLVES will be at the play-in tournament again.
NO ……….
makes no sense. A guy like Claxton. Who can cover the perimeter. And is a solid rim protector and reb. Would have been better. Cause now you can add real talent. By not giving up all those assets.
Nerlens Noel …… been saying it for yrs.
Rudy Gobert was a great pickup!!! He’s hands down been the best defensive player in the NBA over the past five years and he’s exactly what the Minnesota Timberwolves need. You can play two bigs in the NBA if one of them can shoot and Karl Anthony-Towns is the best big man shooter. He just won this past three point contest. At 6’11 I just want to see him grow on the defensive end. Anthony Edwards will be in the Most Improved Player of the Year discussion. He should’ve made it last year but I definitely see him making the All Star team this season. I see them finishing 3rd out West.
They did a real nice job trying to improve the team. I admire gutsy moves. I do believe though they will miss Patrick Beverly, who brought the toughness and all those intangibles that are necessary. Huge loss. Especially for a team like the wolves that are young and flashy. They need grit and tenacity. No way they finish third. 6 is best case, everything goes perfect, scenario.
You’re both right. Claxton on the cheaper end would have been great. Gobert is great to.
How can you trade Beasley when D-Lo went awol by the end of the season. He ain’t no starter anymore. He took his foot of the gas once he got the bag.
All in all it was a good trade for Minnesota. They picked up a All-NBA caliber center. Obviously Gobert is praised for his D but he’s not a slouch offensively. He can’t shoot but he’s an elite roll man and lob option. He’s also a very good screen setter.
I think Kyle Anderson will get the starting nod over Jaden McDaniels at least initially. He’s a better passer and has a bigger body that matches up better with some of the bigger forwards.
The players traded were either filler in the case of Beverly and Beasley or not on the same timeline as KAT and Russell.
If all goes well for the Wolves those picks will be very late 1st rounders at least until 2029 and wouldn’t have helped much for a team in win now mode.
Can’t shoot good enough. Plus they love McDaniels there. He’s low usage 3 and D perfect for a line up with uber efficient Rudy plus high usage D Lo, Ant and KAT. Slo Mo will run the 2nd unit with McLaughlin as a low TO high IQ bench unit.
I kinda like them
Yes they gave up way to much but Goberts defence is exactly what they lacked
What they should’ve done is given up half as much and gone for Myles Turner
Elite rim protection and defence but can still space the floor. His lack of rebounds would be fine cause you have KAT still next to him. Plus timeline wise he makes a bunch more sense.
However as they are, Id start Kyle Anderson at the 3 spot over McDaniels. Anderson is very high IQ, can hit open shoots, often makes the right plays and is just as solid defensively.
As for the bench loaded at the forward spot. Wendell Moore, Josh Minott, Teurean Prince, Jaden McDaniels and Eric Paschall.
You also have Bryn Forbes, Austin Rivers, Naz Reid, Luka Garza, I like these guys.
Think what they should do/have some is get a true back up point guard to run this unit. Eric Bledsloe? Darren Collinson? DJ Augustine? Dennis Schroder? All still available
The other issue I think could arise is a lack of outside shooting. Russell has had his struggles, ANT isnt a sniper like that, neither is McDaniel and Anderson. McLaughlin the current back up point shot 31% from three last year, that’s concerning for me. Gobert clogs the paint and you may not have as much luck getting inside as you did which forces you into deep shots now I don’t think the would go well for them.
Overall I think they are definitely better I think they finish as the 8th seed in the west but still some big issues.
Only downside would be Turner is an expiring while Rudy is locked in. Now if an extention could have been worked out then Turner would have helped greatly while costing a lot less. Losing Bev and Vando will hurt.
Yeah those years locked in are a huge positive… The wolves have had too many rentals where a traded for player leaves in free agency…
New owners and Ants magnetism will help keep players in a Timberwolf uniform longer than rentals… But it’s probabaly too early to bet on that change of culture being strong enough…
Even still an extension would come a lot cheaper and you wouldn’t have had to give up as much talent
There’s no way Anderson starts over McDaniels…
McDaniels’ floor is Anderson with a better 3 point shot… His ceiling is all defence and the perfect wing compliment to Ant…
Kyle is a great piece off the bench, i really like the signing for the Wolves, but he ain’t starting unless Kat, Gobert or Jaden get injured…
They both shoot about the same from three and both aren’t good at it (roughly 33%).
It’s not about floor and ceilings and stuff it’s about playing winning basketball.
Anderson is just as good defensively right now if not better, he’s a much much smarter player and often makes the right play and he kinda what you need as a 5th starter. Smart and well rounded.
McDaniels is still really young and will develop and get better however if your trying to win games I think Anderson wins you more games. He was terrific for the Grizzlies last last as a starter and they won a lot of games. McDaniels can develop coming off the bench against other teams second units and will do better
Kyle Anderson wants the ball in his hands. Perfect second unit guy.
Probably not lol but let’s see how it shakes out.
The Wolves needed to get better in the exact areas that Gobert excels at…
He is a Hall of Famer with years left on the clock…
Whilst McDaniels is worth 2 first round picks alone as his profile is hard to find in the draft…
Add onto it any freezing of the marketplace as others undervalued a Hall of Fame player or the worth of McDaniels…
This trade is a huge win for the Timberwolves… Which has never had so much talent and depth on a single roster…
Te Wolves actually added depth as they now have legitimate players from 1-13 before trying their rookies…
Plus any thoughts about Gobert clogging the paint too much to make the finals are easily put to rest by looking at the most recent NBA finals… Where a twin tower set up went up against a small-ball line with Draymond and Looney who don’t space the floor… Hell Draymond misses open looks at the rim…
Small ball loses to skill ball… The Wolves have more talent than most… Therefore are a contender…
I think MIN will be borderline to make the WC top 6. IMO, it’s less about issues with the Gobert-KAT combination than it’s about deficiencies with the rest of the roster, and their lack of remaining resources to address them. Connelly didn’t understand the SF position in DEN, and apparently it’s still a mystery to him.
Really? I’d say if you can’t have LeBron or KD Kyle Anderson or Jaden McDaniels are both very good fall back options. Connelly had the foresight to not include McDaniels in the Gobert trade and he signed Anderson who is very underrated.
KAT is good enough to make them contenders!
Great moves. They need to let go of the 2 way guy they signed from the Dallas training camp and sign a young PG prospect
Man, if ever there was a self-deluding team of players, starting with Towns, THIS CLUB is it! Man, what kind of acid-spiked koolaid these guys be drinking? Talking ’bout NBA titles? Mebbe try to finish in the top-four in the conference, first; then win 2 postseason series: yo?
My take is pretty simple-
This is the best team T-Wolves have ever had. Sorry Wally Zerbs
Draft picks are highly overated on this board; protected or not
Enjoy the ride Wolves fans
Oh and Ant is going to explode to superstar level next year. We got the glimpse late last year and I expect an amazing leap season next year
I do wonder if they chop the DLO expiring into some niffy depth pieces with years behind them on the books at the deadline. Really don’t have any wiggle on the cap sheet next year outside Dlo’s birds and I think Ant is a better bet to just suck up all that usgae than use Dlos Birds. Rare as it may be it would suit their payroll abilities well moving forward