The Minnesota Timberwolves will have to face some difficult decisions this offseason. For the third straight year, the Wolves proved that they are a notch below true title contention. Now, they will have to improve an oddly constructed roster, in hopes of building a title winner around Anthony Edwards.
It's all but certain that Julius Randle will be on the move after a disastrous second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. What the Wolves will get for Randle remains unclear.
But what about Rudy Gobert? There's a little bit more nuance there. On one hand, Gobert remains one of the league's best defenders. That's indisputable, especially after a dominant series against Nikola Jokic in the first-round.
However, his offensive limitations have hindered the Wolves at times -- that was certainly the case against the Spurs and last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder and Spurs are the class of the Western Conference, and Gobert's offensive limitations don't make him a good matchup against these two teams.
Rudy Gobert's future is anything but an easy decision
Rudy will be 34 before the start of next season, meaning his offensive struggles could only get worse. There could be clear logic in trading him to go all in on Ant's timeline. Regardless, trading Gobert wouldn't be an easy decision due to his elite defense.
Another factor is Randle's trade value. After such a poor playoff showing and his well-known inconsistencies, his market could be limited. Thus, if the Wolves are unable to get a desirable package in return for Randle, they might have to trade Gobert in addition to Randle. This could work if the two are packaged together or moved in separate deals.
It's worth noting that the Wolves will pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo as they did at the deadline. I'm not sure how likely it is that the Wolves win a bidding war for Giannis. However, if they do, Gobert will have to be traded as part of the deal or subsequently due to the need for floor spacing around Giannis.
Let's just put Giannis aside for a second, though, and think about the possibility of Gobert being traded more generally. Since trading for Gobert, the Wolves have been an elite defensive squad, and they've had plenty of success overall. However, for the second straight year, their offense has been stifled by elite defenses. As such, shifting their identity to offense and pace could make sense.
Still, what in the world would happen to the Wolves' defense without Gobert holding down the paint? Could you find some rim protection in a non-Giannis trade while trading Gobert and Randle? I'm not sure it would be tricky at the very least.
Gobert's limited offensive value, yet immense defensive impact, has long been the conundrum with him. Per Cleaning the Glass, Minnesota was 11.4 points per 100 possessions better on defense with Gobert on the court, but they were 8.4 points per 100 possessions worse with him on offense.
Does Gobert's elite defense truly outweigh his subpar offense? Can you beat the Spurs and Thunder when one of your key players is this limited offensively? Would it be best to trade him now, given his age?
These are the questions Tim Connelly and the Timberwolves must answer this offseason.
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