How does Rudy Gobert fit on the Timberwolves roster?

Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly has done it again. In his first year at the helm of the Timberwolves, he has crafted a trade that has landed the Minnesota Timberwolves’ best five-man starting roster of all time. What do I mean? Well, he landed the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, former Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, in an NBA headline-making blockbuster trade.

For the Utah Jazz, much of the value in the trade package included the Timberwolves’ upcoming first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, and 2027 (all unprotected), a 2026 first-round pick swap, and a 2029 first-round pick (top-5 protected).

Money matters

To make all that money work out, the Minnesota Timberwolves sent five players to the Jazz, including Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Leandro Bolmaro. That is quite a haul for the Jazz. But let’s examine the true value of the packages involved. The Jazz acquired five rotational players, and the rights to four first-round draft picks that could all end up no better than slotting among the high 20s.

The Utah Jazz organization has traded away a true NBA All-Star. They now have remote chances with five NBA players and four first-round draft picks (plus one first-round pick swap) to acquire his NBA All-star equivalent replacement.

That’s not an easy task. In fact, it’s nigh impossible. If it were simple, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be content to select his equivalent without all of the gyrations and effort of such a massive NBA trade. But the burden of finding his replacement is now on the Utah Jazz.