The Minnesota Timberwolves did not enter the 2022 offseason and immediately focus on acquiring Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. In fact, when the Minnesota Timberwolves entered the 2022 offseason, the team did not focus on any particular player. The first order of business for an NBA front office is to survey each team, find out who may be available for the right price, and then deliberate internally until there is a consensus as to who makes the most sense for the asking price.
So it should come as no surprise that the mention of Kevin Durant seeking to be traded in rumored to have prompted a call from the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team eager to improve their roster after reaching the NBA Playoffs. So how did that all shake out?
Well, the Brooklyn Nets have their own agenda in the offseason, so any trade demand by Keven Durant simply created an opportunity to take calls, not make deals. The Nets wanted either Anthony Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns, or both, to trade away Kevin Durant. That asking price made no sense for the Timberwolves to pursue the exchange any further.
Before trading for Rudy Gobert, the Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to break the NBA with a Kevin Durant deal.https://t.co/5OH1hQlNSG
— FanSided (@FanSided) July 2, 2022
While that is likely the most significant trade that the Minnesota Timberwolves rumors have named, it’s a fair guess to expect that the team did due diligence on any and every significant player on the trade block. Do you recall how the Minnesota Timberwolves rumors linked the team as one of three teams to trade for San Antonio Spurs Dejounte Murray?
“Momentum is building toward" a Dejounte Murray trade to the Hawks, Knicks or Timberwolves, per @TheSteinLine pic.twitter.com/F4Ch9vJX6S
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 29, 2022
The Timberwolves ended up trading for Rudy Gobert. Not only is Gobert a great fit, but the Timberwolves roster is much stronger after the trade.