When the Minnesota Timberwolves traded four first-round picks and a pick swap for Rudy Gobert in 2022, it was a highly controversial move, with many arguing the Wolves mortgaged their future.
Sure, it was an overpay in a vacuum, but it paid off big time, resulting in two conference finals runs. And perhaps more importantly, the Timberwolves' future remains extremely bright!
Outside of Gobert, everyone in the Wolves' rotation is 26 years old or younger. Anthony Edwards just turned 25, and so did the newly acquired LaMelo Ball. Jaden McDaniels, who the Wolves were hell-bent on keeping out of the Gobert trade, will be 26 later this month; Ayo Dosunmu turned the same age earlier this summer. Jonathan Kuminga will be 24 in October. Then there are intriguing young players like Joan Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, Isaiah Evans, and Cody Williams. Heck, even Bones Hyland fits into the theme of young talent.
The point is that the Wolves have had a considerable amount of success with Gobert, and their future is still bright. From this standpoint, it's the best of both worlds.
The Timberwolves have a bright future despite the Rudy Gobert trade
The Wolves truly created a sustainable contender around Edwards this summer. In addition to the many basketball-related concerns, Julius Randle was not a fit for Ant's timeline. By trading him, Tim Connelly created a pathway to landing a more dependable second option who fits Edwards' timeline. While it also cost Naz Reid (who fit Ant's timeline) and their remaining tradable draft picks, it was a move Minnesota needed to make.
Trading for Ayo at the deadline filled the void left behind by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and gave the Timberwolves a long-term complementary guard alongside Ant. Kuminga might be a one-year rental, but if they can manage to keep him around, he could be an ideal complementary forward.
McDaniels is an elite third option who is a true homegrown talent. The Wolves holding on to him in the Gobert trade might have made them include some extra picks, but it's well worth it given McDaniels' importance to the team's success. He is an elite defender who has continued to grow his offensive game and could still reach another level.
Beringer looks like he can be Gobert's successor; that's at least one silver lining from the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. We'll have to see what the future holds for Shannon, Clark, Hyland, Evans, and Williams, but all of them at least have the potential to be long-term contributors alongside Edwards.
The point is that through various roster-building mechanisms, the Timberwolves have built a sustainable title contender around Ant. Furthermore, while it remains to be seen how some of these players fit alongside him, generally speaking, this roster fits nicely around Edwards.
And despite Gobert being 34 years old, he's shown no signs of decline. The Timberwolves have had their most successful four-year period in franchise history under him, and they are still reaping the benefits of this move.
Look, the Timberwolves' lack of draft capital isn't ideal, but the future is bright due to their 26-and-under core. So yeah, it's safe to say they didn't ruin their future to trade for Gobert.
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