The Minnesota Timberwolves know that things need to be different next year if they want to catch up with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference. A team whose calling card was “moodiness” throughout last season needed to change the vibes. That's where a team trip to Paris organized by Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball could make a big difference for Rudy Gobert and the Wolves overall.
Gobert has been a success for the Wolves, bringing a defensive presence that helped him win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award during the 2023-24 season. But his fit hasn’t always been perfect. While the Wolves have made big changes, the Gobert conundrum remains, and the trip to Paris could help cut down on the acclimation process to ensure Minnesota gets off to a fast start next season.
Playing with Rudy Gobert has been a process for the Timberwolves
Gobert has been a net positive for the Wolves, but it always hasn’t been easy. In Gobert’s first season in Minnesota, his arrival forced Towns to the power forward position, which forced him to play on the perimeter. While having the best shooting big man of all-time shoot more 3-pointers isn’t a bad thing, it still created some issues, as D’Angelo Russell infamously said, “He catch the ball, he’ll score,” after a 2022 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Russell was traded in February in a deal that brought Gobert’s old teammate Mike Conley to Minnesota. But while the move helped him in the long term and sparked the 2023-24 season, it didn’t bring immediate help to the Wolves, who made the playoffs as the No. 8 seed before losing in five games to the Denver Nuggets.
The familiarity improved the following season, and the result was a trip to the Western Conference Finals. While the Wolves appeared to be ready for a third season with their core, the 11th-hour trade that swapped Towns for Randle became another adjustment period.
While Randle had his share of shots beyond the arc, he lives for “Bully Ball” in the paint. This created spacing issues early on, including an infamous exchange in Toronto. But it eventually found rhythm for another run to the Western Conference finals later in the year.
The end result between Randle and Gobert was great during the 2024-25 campaign, but it hit a wall last season. That led to Randle’s departure to the Brooklyn Nets and another adjustment period the Wolves had to make going into this season.
Timberwolves could solve their chemistry issues in Paris
This is where the trip to Paris comes into play. While The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski clarified he wasn’t sure that all members of the team could make the trip, going out to visit Gobert could be one way to accelerate the process.
Ball can get used to targeting Gobert with his passes, which The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Christopher Hine added needs to be in different places in order for him to catch it.
“Playing with Gobert on offense is an acquired taste, given his limitations in catching the ball wherever his teammates throw it,” Hine wrote. “It is preferable for Gobert to get the ball in certain, comfortable spots.
“For instance, a bounce pass has to reach him above the waist instead of below in order to optimize his chance to catch it. …But on the plus side for the Wolves, there may be no more willing passer than Ball, who could utilize Gobert as a rolling lob threat while capitalizing on the space Gobert’s screening will bring. Establishing that chemistry early and often will unlock the Wolves’ offense.”
The adjustment also has to be made on the defensive end. While Gobert is a stable presence in the paint, it also puts more pressure on Ball and Edwards to maintain the perimeter, even though they have insurance on the back end. Having Jaden McDaniels should also help, as one of the best perimeter defenders in the game.
Overall, the sooner the new group of Wolves gets acclimated to Gobert, the better. And by going to Paris, there’s a good chance they can establish the chemistry needed to close the gap with the powers in the Western Conference.
Add us as a preferred source on Google