NBA Rumors: Timberwolves trade scenarios kick in after fisticuffs finale

Zany trade scenarios begin to appear out of nowhere

The stage was set. Anyone who was disappointed in the Minnesota Timberwolves 42-40 finish to the 2022-23 NBA season needed someone to blame. Through each storm, there was one player who stood at the epicenter, newly acquired center Rudy Gobert.

He was the player so many feared to come at too high of a price. Five players and four first-round draft picks are expensive in the NBA. He was the player who was involved in the controversy with veteran PG D’Angelo Russell. Still, both of those events could be discounted. But when he threw a punch at popular forward Kyle Anderson, fans and pundits had the evidence necessary to point the finger at the scapegoat. The problem with the Minnesota Timberwolves had a name, and that name was Rudy Gobert.

Trade scenarios appeared instantly

Well, it was no surprise that the Minnesota Timberwolves are already being named in various trade scenarios involving center Rudy Gobert. Whether you want to call them NBA Rumors, possible trade scenarios, or just fans venting in fictitious narratives, various Timberwolves trading Rudy Gobert articles began to surface after the team’s fisticuffs-laden season finale.

But it is a surprise at the speed with which those opportunistic and outlandish trade scenarios first began to appear. Here is a Tweet that illustrates how quickly sentiment turned over the Timberwolves:

Moments after the Minnesota Timberwolves won their third consecutive game, this imaginative trade scenario appeared on the Twitter timeline:

To be clear, the Minnesota Timberwolves would say no. Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly did not get where he is today by panicking, and selling off or trading players when their perceived value is at their lowest.  The Timberwolves may make moves this offseason, but it is most likely to involve trading players who are at their peak value right now.