Since taking over as the Minnesota Timberwolves' lead executive, Tim Connelly hasn't been afraid to make big moves. Okay, that's a massive understatement, as Trader Tim has been one of the most aggressive executives in the league. We saw this aggression in full action this offseason with the LaMelo Ball trade.
One of his biggest trades came just months into his tenure, when he shipped out a slew of draft picks for Rudy Gobert. And while this trade was highly controversial, it paid off as the Wolves have made two conference finals with Gobert. Unfortunately, this season Gobert's offensive production has plummeted. So far, the 7-foot-1 big man is averaging 7.3 points while shooting 46.4 percent from the field. A 0-for-7 outing during Saturday's loss to the Chicago Bulls has heightened these concerns about Gobert's offense.
Gobert's apathy toward physicality and inability to finish with power have been at the core of his issues. The Wolves have a nearly flawless roster, but Gobert's lack of offensive production is clearly a red flag for their title chances.
It's more than fair to believe that the Wolves' best chance of winning the title either this year or in the future is with Gobert off the team, despite his elite defense. Still, making such a major mid-season trade after a summer of changes wouldn't be conventional, and one could say it's unlikely. Connelly isn't a conventional executive, though, which makes a trade possible.
Trading Rudy Gobert would make the Timberwolves' offense better
Again, I totally understand why people would argue that trading Gobert in the middle of the season isn't likely. To some degree, it would make sense for the Wolves to see how things play out in the postseason before making a move. This is doubly true considering we've only seen Anthony Edwards with this new-look roster for four games, and considering Donte DiVincenzo's injury, this team hasn't been at full strength all year.
If the Wolves trade Gobert, an offseason move feels more realistic, particularly since he'll be on an expiring contract in the summer.
Nevertheless, if there's a flaw with the roster, Connelly will address it. And it's reasonable to say that Gobert's lackluster offense is a flaw big enough for Connelly to pursue a roster shake-up.
The Wolves have a genuine chance to win the championship this year. Considering the Oklahoma City Thunder's unfortunate injury problems, the San Antonio Spurs' youth, and Jonathan Kuminga likely leaving the team in free agency, the Wolves' title chances may never be higher.
Connelly is well aware of this and could be motivated to ship off Gobert as a result.
Of course, trading Gobert carries some real risk, given his superb defense. But at some point, the defensive advantages aren't enough to cancel out his offensive limitations. With Gobert's offense taking a step back, we are at this point.
In the playoffs, things won't improve for Gobert. Good defenses can scheme against Gobert, and this can derail the Wolves' offense, as it makes it easy to limit their stars. Gobert's offensive production has routinely dropped during his Wolves tenure. With Gobert further declining on offense, things could get really ugly in the playoffs.
Trading Gobert at the deadline would be a proactive way for the Wolves to stop these issues.
Finding the ideal trade would be tricky, but not impossible
Another clear hurdle is finding the perfect trade package. Despite his offensive struggles, I believe that there would be a market for Gobert as a floor-raising center. Regardless, the Wolves would need to find a trade partner with a serviceable starting center, as Joan Beringer isn't ready to be a starter on a title team. That might be tricky, but there are some possibilities the Wolves could explore.
Nic Claxton and Daniel Gafford are two names I would look to trade for. But who knows if there's any interest in a deal on the other side. To be clear, the Wolves' defense would take a step back without Claxton or Gafford. However, their offensive upside would increase.
When it's all said and done, I wouldn't count on Gobert being traded, even if it would be for the best. Connelly's history of making bold moves and the offensive advantages of trading Gobert open up this possibility, though.
At the very least, I'd wager that Connelly will take calls and explore the possibility of trading Gobert.
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