Timberwolves shock NBA, get Rudy Gobert in a blockbuster trade

The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to be set for the 2022-23 season, with a full roster at 15, two players on two-way contracts, and the sense that it was all over but the shouting. Suddenly there is shouting, as Minnesota Timberwolves fans will have the TWolves version of the Twin Towers.

The Timberwolves have been earnestly seeking a rim-protecting NBA center to pair up with Karl Anthony Towns, and we’ve run the gamut on potential big men who might fill the team’s needs.  You can probably guess that the Timberwolves did not sign any veteran free-agent center. Instead, the team went after one of the biggest and best NBA Bigs in the league.

Timberwolves Rudy Gobert

The Minnesota Timberwolves traded for Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. And they traded a king’s ransom for him.

You can attribute this trade to Dell Demps:

So what are the Timberwolves giving up?  Well, we know the players. What about the picks?  A king’s ransom, that’s what:

Here’s how it all breaks down:

EDITOR’s NOTE: Leandro Bolmaro is now reported to be included in the players sent to the Utah Jazz. That makes five players.

When you need to drive one side of a two-team trade through a three-team format to capture all of the pieces, you know that one team is making out like a bandit.

We’ll be analyzing all of the pieces as quickly as we can.  Right now, the Timberwolves appear to have emptied the vault by acquiring Rudy Gobert. Is he that good? We’ll know soon enough.

This sets the Timberwolves’ core players to be Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell. It may be a costly starting five, but they certainly look unbeatable on paper.