“They gave away a lot to get Rudy Gobert… They had some dogs man” - Former NBA champion believes Minnesota Timberwolves traded key core players for French center, still considers Gobert a valuable addition
Former NBA champion Kevin Garnett believes the Minnesota Timberwolves did the right thing by trading for Rudy Gobert. However, he thinks they gave up too many assets to acquire him.
The Timberwolves parted ways with Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Leandro Bolmaro and Walker Kessler in the Gobert Trade. They also gave up the #22 pick from the draft, along with four first-rounders and a pick swap.
Garnett pointed out that Beverley and Vanderbilt were tough players and crucial to the T'Wolves' core. Discussing the Gobert trade with former teammate Paul Pierce on the "KG Certified" podcast, he said:
"I actually thought they gave away a lot to get Rudy Gobert. I'm just talking about their core. They had some dogs man... Vanderbilt, Beverley, some of those real personalities and presence. I also like the Rudy Gobert trade [so], I get it."
The Truth about Gobert to Minnesota and other offseason moves @BetMGM @shobasketball #Kgcertified
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The Minnesota Timberwolves seem all-in on their current roster and seem to believe that Rudy Gobert could take them to the next level. The Timberwolves are among the few teams with four All-Star caliber players, so they have a lot of optimism entering the 2022-23 NBA season.
Gobert will improve the team defensively to a huge extent. His presence could also help unlock Karl-Anthony Towns' maximum potential on the offensive end of the floor. KAT can dig deep into his upside as a lethal three-level scorer while playing as a stretch four.
Safe to say KAT is a big fan of the Rudy Gobert trade.
“His strengths are my weaknesses, and his weaknesses are my strengths, so we’ll be able to play off of each other.”
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Minnesota Timberwolves could be one of the most exciting teams to watch this season
The Minnesota Timberwolves' trade to acquire Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz took many by surprise.
They already had an All-Star center on their team in Karl-Anthony Towns and were going big in an era where many teams in the league have gotten smaller. The idea of deploying two centers in a starting lineup raised many eyebrows.
However, coach Chris Finch and his crew seem to have it figured out.
Gobert's addition adds plenty of versatility to the team. They can opt to play Towns as a stretch five as they have done over the past few years and reduce his defensive workload by using Gobert at the five.
Karl-Anthony Towns on expectations for the Timberwolves this season: "It's go time. The (Rudy Gobert) trade happens. There's no more time. There are no more excuses. We've got to get it done now. It's championship now or bust. Got to go out there and get the job done." https://t.co/MRbuNoTG2U
Towns and Gobert could dominate the boards for the Minnesota Timberwolves if deployed together. Finch's team could have a massive edge against teams led by the best centers in the league.
Meanwhile, they also have viable perimeter threats like D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards. Russell's playmaking and shooting threat, and Edwards' scoring ability would make the Timberwolves a difficult team to deal with defensively. Jaden McDaniels will also be backed to enjoy another good season.
Finch led the team to the seventh-best offensive rating last campaign. With KAT potentially getting more opportunities to flourish as a scorer due to Gobert's presence, they could improve on that.
"I tell you this, I think Rudy is a little underrated offensively... He's a closer."
@AROD joins NBA TV to discuss the Timberwolves trade for Rudy Gobert and hiring Tim Connelly as President of Basketball Operations. #NBASummer https://t.co/3Z9CivJq7x
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ inexperience and exactly how well Rudy Gobert will fit into the scheme of things have created doubts regarding their ceiling. However, if it all works out as planned, Minnesota could make a deep push in the playoffs.