‘I think they are gonna be a top-4 seed now” - Former NBA champion believes Timberwolves are better stacked with Rudy Gobert, demands better decision making as a team and solid defense from the Frenchman
The Minnesota Timberwolves made headlines this offseason with their acquisition of star big man Rudy Gobert.
Throughout his career with the Utah Jazz, Gobert made a reputation for himself as one of the top defensive centers in the league. Minnesota will hope that Gobert can slide in alongside Karl-Anthony Towns to give them a dangerous duo down low.
The Timberwolves impressed last year and look like a team that is rapidly on the rise.
With young wing Anthony Edwards blossoming into a superstar, it's clear that the Timberwolves have something special cooking. Former Boston Celtics teammates Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett believe the Wolves are one of the top teams right now.
On KG Certified, Pierce and Garnett spoke about how Gobert could make the Wolves a tougher team. Pierce specifically went on to point out that the addition of Gobert will have a huge impact on the defense. He said:
"They ain't gonna be no seventh or eighth seed. I think they are gonna be a top four seed now. That kid (Anthony) Edwards is going to get better.
"Rudy Gobert going to shore up their defense now...they couldn't defend. They had a hard time guarding Memphis in the fourth quarter, they kept getting walked down. Memphis scored every time down."
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Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves will look to make an impact in the Western Conference
There's no denying the buzz surrounding the T'Wolves this offseason. Last season, they proved they are a team on the rise. The Wolves have backed that up with a bumper acquisition in the offseason. It's clear that the team has higher aspirations than just making it to the playoffs.
With Gobert's acquisition, it's clear that Minnesota is hoping for him and Karl-Anthony Towns to stay on the court together for extended minutes. With Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell manning the backcourt, Minnesota have formidable talent.
Rudy Gobert in his 9 seasons with the Jazz:
— 12.4 PPG | 11.7 RPG
— 2.2 BPG | 65.3 FG%
— Led Jazz in RPG, BPG and FG% https://t.co/Vqv9ytdkTn
In his last season with the Utah Jazz, Gobert averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 71.3% from the field.
Minnesota lacked a formidable interior presence on defense last season and Gobert potentially solves that issue.