Identifying The Long-Term Plan For Rudy Gobert In Minnesota

The Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t exactly in a good place these days.

During the last game of the regular season, against the New Orleans Pelicans, Rudy Gobert punched teammate Kyle Anderson in the chest and was sent home. He was later suspended and will miss the team’s play-in game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In that same game, Jaden McDaniels, one of the team’s most reliable two-way production players, punched a wall and broke his shooting hand. He too will be out against the Lakers.

Naturally, the Gobert situation drew the most attention due to the element of infighting. But it also drew attention due to the trade that brought him to Minnesota last offseason, where the Wolves relinquished an absolute haul of a package to attain his services.

Gobert did not have a good season compared to his usual standards. His numbers were down, and the presence of a non-shooting big man often cluttered the paint, disallowing All-Star guard Anthony Edwards from getting the necessary space on drives.

(Coincidentally, after Gobert was sent home against the Pelicans, the Wolves came roaring back and won the game, in large part due to Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns playing a brand of offensive basketball where they were free to both shoot and attack the paint, making the Minnesota offense considerably less predictable.)

The situation raises the question of what to do long-term with Gobert.

Some fans argue Gobert should be traded for whatever he’s worth, others are more inclined to believe the Frenchman will bounce back in the second year with the team.

The latter group’s thinking does have merit. Gobert, even during a down year, remains one of the most influential defenders in the league, and stands second to none in terms of rim protection. Opposing players continue to utterly avoid him inside, as they know his 7’9 wingspan and keen defensive timing will give them problems. That hasn’t changed simply because the name on the front of his jersey has.

It is feasible that Gobert simply needed to get this year out of the way, and to accept his surroundings, before bouncing back. After all, he spent his entire career with the Utah Jazz before getting moved. That was nine years of his life, which undoubtedly would have required a level of adjustment after he was traded.

Of course, the other side of that coin is that the Wolves might not have a choice this summer. Gobert’s trade value is certainly not even close to what Minnesota gave up for him, and it’s fair to question if he has more value as a player, than as a trade asset.

Would a team out there be willing to fork over multiple draft picks or young players for a soon-to-be 31-year-old center earning $41 million next season, and with two additional years totalling $90.4 million?

Even desperate teams, like the Dallas Mavericks, would be skeptical of pulling off such a move, especially on the heels of Gobert’s antics against Anderson, his own teammate.

Furthermore, the play of Donovan Mitchell, who was traded by the Jazz last offseason as well, is sure to raise some eyebrows. Mitchell, who had spent his entire career playing next to Gobert, suddenly raised his game after landing in Cleveland, often looking like an MVP candidate.

How much of that is just Mitchell’s own evolution, and how much of it is the freedom of getting away from a center who offered no spacing? That’s a conversation any team considering Gobert this offseason will need to have – Dallas in particular.

What the Wolves shouldn’t do is try to further justify last year’s trade by making moves around Gobert, such as pivoting off Towns to give Gobert the marker of being a lone big.

In fact, it’s crucial that the Wolves show the ability to own up to their mistake, instead of doubling down. Even if Gobert is to bounce back, which is entirely possible, there’s a limit to how far he can take a team, especially in the playoffs.

Gobert is a player who needs to bend to his teammates, not the other way around. He’s a defensive star, but not someone who lifts the offensive capabilities of his teammates. In fact, on that end of the floor, he’s often too passive to be counted on, playing a diminished role in the offense, and not punishing smaller players down low.

This would have been fine if Gobert hadn’t been earning 30.6% of the salary cap as he does this year. But when an organization invests that type of money into a single player, you’re aren’t left with a lot of alternatives.

It’s an incredibly difficult position the Wolves find themselves in this summer. Not only is the market for Gobert trending down, but his salary is going up, and so is his age. The Wolves may simply have no other choice than to live through it.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.