When Minnesota sent four first-round picks and a pick swap to Utah for Rudy Gobert in 2022, the reaction was loud and immediate. Plenty of people said the Timberwolves had gutted their future for one big swing.
That argument looks a lot weaker now.
Yes, the price was steep in a vacuum. But the Wolves have already cashed in on it with two conference finals runs, and the bigger picture is even more encouraging: the roster around Anthony Edwards is still loaded with youth, and the team’s long-term outlook remains strong.
Outside of Gobert, Minnesota’s rotation is basically built around players 26 or younger. Edwards just turned 25, and so did the newly acquired LaMelo Ball.
Jaden McDaniels, who the Wolves were determined to keep out of the Gobert deal, will be 26 later this month. Ayo Dosunmu turned 26 earlier this summer.
Jonathan Kuminga won’t be 24 until October. Add in younger pieces like Joan Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, Isaiah Evans, and Cody Williams, and even Bones Hyland fits the age profile.
That’s why the Gobert trade doesn’t read like a franchise-altering mistake anymore. Minnesota got real playoff results out of it, and the cupboard around Edwards is far from bare.
This summer only sharpened that picture. The Timberwolves have taken steps to build a more sustainable contender around their star, and the move away from Julius Randle was part of that.
Randle wasn’t a fit for Ant’s timeline, and by moving him, Tim Connelly opened the door to a more reliable second option who better matches Edwards’ window. The cost was real - Naz Reid fit that timeline too, and the Wolves also gave up their remaining tradable draft picks - but it was still the kind of decision Minnesota needed to make.
The deadline deal for Ayo helped solve the hole left by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, while also giving the Wolves a long-term guard to pair with Edwards. Kuminga may only be there for a year, but if Minnesota can keep him, he could be exactly the kind of complementary forward this roster needs.
McDaniels remains a huge piece of the puzzle. He’s a true homegrown success story, an elite third option, and the sort of defender every contender wants. Minnesota may have had to attach extra picks to keep him out of the Gobert deal, but that was a worthwhile price for a player who has kept growing on offense and still has room to level up.
There’s also Beringer, who looks like a possible Gobert successor and offers at least one encouraging note from the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. Beyond that, Shannon, Clark, Hyland, Evans, and Williams all have a chance to become real long-term contributors next to Edwards.
That’s the key here: the Timberwolves have assembled a contender that can last. Some of the pieces still need to prove how they fit, but in broad terms, this roster makes sense around Edwards.
And Gobert himself is still doing his part. He’s 34, but there’s been no sign of decline. Minnesota has enjoyed the most successful four-year stretch in franchise history with him in the middle, and the team is still benefiting from the trade that once drew so much skepticism.
The draft-pick situation isn’t perfect. But with a 26-and-under core and a roster built around Edwards, the Wolves are in good shape. The idea that they wrecked their future to land Gobert just doesn’t hold up anymore.
In Other News...
Celtics Set A Massive Price For Jaylen Brown And Minnesota Walked Away
Minnesota spent part of the summer exploring a swing for Jaylen Brown, a sign the Timberwolves were at least willing to think big if the right star became available. Brown eventually landed with the Philadelphia 76ers, but before that, the Wolves had discussions with Boston about what it would take to pry him loose, and the framework quickly showed just how steep the Celtics were setting the bar.
The asking price was more than Minnesota was prepared to meet, and the talks never moved forward. Instead, the Timberwolves chose a different path and brought in LaMelo Ball, opting for a fit that better matched what they wanted around the rest of the roster rather than emptying the cupboard for a deal that never got close to the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Just Turned One Move Into A Fascinating Cody Williams Bet
The Timberwolves kept the more interesting piece of their swap with Utah, landing Cody Williams in a deal that sent Josh Green and cash the other way and then moving quickly to waive and stretch John Konchar to open up financial flexibility. It was a tidy bit of roster housekeeping, but the bigger point was what Minnesota chose to preserve: a young wing with real pedigree who still has plenty to prove.
Williams arrives with a different kind of opportunity than he had before, because the Timberwolves are not a rebuilding team handing out empty minutes. They have a strong roster and championship expectations, which makes his path more defined and the pressure more immediate. For a former top draft pick who has had a hard time getting traction early in his career, this looks less like a flyer and more like a calculated bet on whether a change of scenery can unlock something the Jazz never quite got to see. [Read more 🡒]
Naz Reid Is Finally Getting The Chance Wolves Fans Wanted To See
Naz Reids exit from Minnesota came as part of the LaMelo Ball trade, ending a run in which he was mainly used as a backup for the Timberwolves. For Wolves fans who had long wondered what Reid might look like with a larger workload, the move to Charlotte at least offers a clearer runway. The Hornets are expected to lean on him in a way Minnesota never consistently did, and the fit looks different from the start.
Charlotte appears ready to give Reid the kind of role that could bring out more of the scoring and rebounding touch he has flashed when given starter minutes. Over the past few seasons, his best stretches have come with added responsibility, and the Hornets system should suit the way he plays. What remains to be seen is how far that opportunity can carry him now that the chance to prove it is finally in front of him. [Read more 🡒]