Value of Rudy Gobert

[zimpy27]

I wonder if Hawks would want Gobert.

Risacher, Okongwu, Niang
For
Gobert

[TheZachAttack]

I wonder if Hawks would want Gobert.

Risacher, Okongwu, Niang
For
Gobert

I mean as a Wolves fan I would 100% do this. Again, less about Rudy and more about building our team around our core's timeline and the style of play that gets the most out of the Wolves. There are other things we will have to work through, but we aren't going to win a championship with Gobert either. The Wolves would have a pretty insane young core

Rob
Dante
NAW
Ant
Shannon JR
Clark
McDaniels
Risacer
Okongwu
Naz
Randle

All of those players except Randle and Dante are 25 and under. Randle would come off next year and it would be easy for the Wolves to pivot into a max slot if an opportunity came up.

[Astaluego]

Randle takes his PO and the Wolves send him to the Clippers for Bogdan/DJJ/Dunn and the FRP of 25 (now 29/30)...
Harden/Powell/Leonard/Randle/Zubac

Gobert/DJJ/Dillingham/KDunn+FRP Pistons send to the Suns for KD/Richards

DDV/Edwards/McDaniels/KD/Naz
Conley/Clark/Shannon/Richards ...and still has Bogdan+FRP received from Clippers to trade for depth...

There weren't rumors that the Hawks were willing to sign Beal...?

Beal/Dillingham/R Dunn+Pistons FRP25+FRP25( by SUNS)+FRP27 (by SUNS) to HAWKS

Daniels/Beal/Risacher/Johnson/OO
Dillingham/Mann/Levert?/Dunn/Draft

The HAWKS have the ammunition to move up in the draft for a 7'2 in Maluach

Trae Young+ Niang to SUNS..

T.Young/Booker/Royce/DJJ/Gobert

[winforlose]

Hmm...clearly positive, right? Last year he was DPOY and great in the post-season. This season, it seems after a quick check that his impact has still been clearly positive. Randle isn't a great fit and the Timberwolves seem to have had quite a few injuries to key guys missing time but they are still in the Top 6 hunt out West.

In Conclusion, a Top 10 Center is going to have good value around the league. He has anchored Top Tier defenses for Utah and then again re-constructed the entire identity of the Timberwolves along with Anthony Edwards.

I'd question why Minnesota would want to move off Gobert. If Naz is the long-term Power Forward, then his fit with Gobert is seamless, both on paper and in actual play we have seen.

The back problems, 2023 and then 2025, are worrisome, but could this year's problems be linked to a long NBA season (Close to 100 games in 2024) followed by a long Olympic season (even if not playing he was practicing regularly) then a new 2025 NBA season? Possibly, but I am not an arm chair doctor.

If the Wolves moved Rudy it would be with another C in mind. I favor a Myles Turner type to pair with Ant. Someone who can floor space and play with pace. That said, I am not sure we are ready to move on from Rudy. He allows all our perimeter defenders (we have a lot of them in Jaden, NAW, Ant, Clark, and maybe Shannon,) to over commit with help form the backside. I think our playoff run will help inform our needs and help to create the plan.

[shrink]

Rudy’s defense is still truly elite, and his defensive impact gets magnified for players like Jaden McDaniels, NAW, Ant and now Jaylen Clark because they can gamble more on their man, and if he gets by them, Gobert is behind them to help neutralize a run to the rim. MIN also needs Rudy on the boards and to protect the paint. In the CHA game without Rudy, they gave up 20 OREBs.

Offensively, Gobert is still an effective offensive player (#6 in NBA in ORtg, #5 in TS% at .676), but he is completely dependent on teammates setting him up. Ant has still not learned to throw the lob, and it allows Rudy’s defender to double Ant and keep him from his dangerous dunks at the rim. If Ant can learn to be 20% of the Gobert facilitator that Mike Conley is, MIN could have an extremely dangerous pick-and-roll in their arsenal.

Randle has been great lately, and has missed a triple double by a single assist in two straight games. Without strong MIN PG play, Finch moving him into a new point-forward role has been good for him and for the team. That said, if he opts into his contract, I still expect him to be the odd man out in MIN, and he may get traded for a decent player on a good deal, and payroll relief.

[brackdan70]

He turns 33 next season but still a DPOY quality player. Very positive impact. 3/110 left on his contract isn’t bad provided he can be healthy. Some risk there for a big man age 33/34/35.
I think he has a fair bit of positive value. Would take a pick or two I imagine.

[shrink]

Since people are mentioning the Kevin Durant trade, I will point out that MIN had an offer for KD at the deadline, but eventually backed off it. The current public line was that would have had to hollow out too much of their team (probably the additional cost of incentivizing another team to take on salary from both MIN and PHX).

The interesting thing though is that Gobert legally could not have been a part of that deal - the CBA prevents trading a player who just signed an extension. Randle is only half the money MIN would need to send out, because they needed to not just match Durant’s salary, but get their total payroll under the second apron. It is almost a certainty that either Naz Reid or Jaden McDaniels mathematically needed to be part of that package.

[jayu70]

There weren't rumors that the Hawks were willing to sign Beal...?

Beal/Dillingham/R Dunn+Pistons FRP25+FRP25( by SUNS)+FRP27 (by SUNS) to HAWKS

Daniels/Beal/Risacher/Johnson/OO
Dillingham/Mann/Levert?/Dunn/Draft

The HAWKS have the ammunition to move up in the draft for a 7'2 in Maluach

Trae Young+ Niang to SUNS..

T.Young/Booker/Royce/DJJ/Gobert

I don't know who started that awful rumor...but Na!
If the Hawks end up with Beal and his $50+ mil in the starting lineup as a replacement for Trae - State Farm Arena will be on fire. Just Awful.

[LarsV8]

Since people are mentioning the Kevin Durant trade, I will point out that MIN had an offer for KD at the deadline, but eventually backed off it. The current public line was that would have had to hollow out too much of their team (probably the additional cost of incentivizing another team to take on salary from both MIN and PHX).

Did Min back out of it, or was it Durant who pulled the plug?

[basketballwacko2]

Ok along the lines of winning a championship in 2025-26.
Boston trades KP and Holiday and their 25 #1 after the draft, #1 in 2026, and 28 (after the swap with the spurs 1-2 protected) for Gobert and McDaniel. Celtics might have to add their 2031 or 32 #1 and ?? I am not sure if this gets it done for Minn side of the deal. They may need more because they value McDaniel more.

This would give the Celtics the best defensive team in the NBA I think. And if healthy they should win it all.

I mean I'm not totally opposed to this concept of a deal. I would rather do Derrick White, but I understand why you wouldn't especially if you're giving multiple firsts.

I can sure understand that you'd rather have White. It seems that Jrue is starting to decline at 34 he's 4 years older than White. What do you think about the Picks? Would 3 #1's 25 after they pick for the wolves, 26 and 28 enough?

[TheZachAttack]

Ok along the lines of winning a championship in 2025-26.
Boston trades KP and Holiday and their 25 #1 after the draft, #1 in 2026, and 28 (after the swap with the spurs 1-2 protected) for Gobert and McDaniel. Celtics might have to add their 2031 or 32 #1 and ?? I am not sure if this gets it done for Minn side of the deal. They may need more because they value McDaniel more.

This would give the Celtics the best defensive team in the NBA I think. And if healthy they should win it all.

I mean I'm not totally opposed to this concept of a deal. I would rather do Derrick White, but I understand why you wouldn't especially if you're giving multiple firsts.

I can sure understand that you'd rather have White. It seems that Jrue is starting to decline at 34 he's 4 years older than White. What do you think about the Picks? Would 3 #1's 25 after they pick for the wolves, 26 and 28 enough?

It's close probably ... I think I would want more cap flexibility versus using it on Jrue though. Although, I can see how even as he declines he will be a nice role player off the bench or as a 4th/5th option.

[basketballwacko2]

I mean I'm not totally opposed to this concept of a deal. I would rather do Derrick White, but I understand why you wouldn't especially if you're giving multiple firsts.

I can sure understand that you'd rather have White. It seems that Jrue is starting to decline at 34 he's 4 years older than White. What do you think about the Picks? Would 3 #1's 25 after they pick for the wolves, 26 and 28 enough?

It's close probably ... I think I would want more cap flexibility versus using it on Jrue though. Although, I can see how even as he declines he will be a nice role player off the bench or as a 4th/5th option.

If Holiday is a hangup in the deal maybe just do Gobert for KP plus picks. Then the Celtics can try to move Holiday at a later point, but for the celtics they are looking at a terrible tax bill for 2025-26. So Gobert for KP and the 2025 #1 after the draft and 2026. Minn keeps McDaniels who I think they value a lot. I feel like McD's contract seems a bit pricy and long but he is a very good defender.

[TheZachAttack]

I can sure understand that you'd rather have White. It seems that Jrue is starting to decline at 34 he's 4 years older than White. What do you think about the Picks? Would 3 #1's 25 after they pick for the wolves, 26 and 28 enough?

It's close probably ... I think I would want more cap flexibility versus using it on Jrue though. Although, I can see how even as he declines he will be a nice role player off the bench or as a 4th/5th option.

If Holiday is a hangup in the deal maybe just do Gobert for KP plus picks. Then the Celtics can try to move Holiday at a later point, but for the celtics they are looking at a terrible tax bill for 2025-26. So Gobert for KP and the 2025 #1 after the draft and 2026. Minn keeps McDaniels who I think they value a lot. I feel like McD's contract seems a bit pricy and long but he is a very good defender.

McDaniels has broken out in the second half of the season as an offensive player and turned into a 15-18 ppg player along with his defense.

I would do Gobert for KP + picks.

[wolves_89]

Since people are mentioning the Kevin Durant trade, I will point out that MIN had an offer for KD at the deadline, but eventually backed off it. The current public line was that would have had to hollow out too much of their team (probably the additional cost of incentivizing another team to take on salary from both MIN and PHX).

Did Min back out of it, or was it Durant who pulled the plug?

I seriously doubt any discussion ever got to the point of a real offer. From the Minnesota side the financial part would have been incredibly difficult, and that's not even factoring in agreeing on the value of a 36 year old Durant whose contract expires after next season.

[shrink]

Since people are mentioning the Kevin Durant trade, I will point out that MIN had an offer for KD at the deadline, but eventually backed off it. The current public line was that would have had to hollow out too much of their team (probably the additional cost of incentivizing another team to take on salary from both MIN and PHX).

Did Min back out of it, or was it Durant who pulled the plug?

I seriously doubt any discussion ever got to the point of a real offer. From the Minnesota side the financial part would have been incredibly difficult, and that's not even factoring in agreeing on the value of a 36 year old Durant whose contract expires after next season.

I tend to agree. The whole story might be there to appease Ant, who couldn’t have been happy that his big brother, Karl-Anthony Towns, was traded. Ant’s never made a big deal about the KAT trade publicly, and was very welcoming to Randle, like KAT was to him, but you never know what players ask GMs for behind the scenes.

I tend to agree with you that a Durant trade was too complicated to pull off, but I will mention there were certainly advantages to doing it then rather than the off-season, like no concerns with opt-ins, Durant is a cheaper number to match, and of course, one more playoff run with KD on the roster. I would have dismissed it completely, but several decent insiders, including Brian Windhorst, seem to indicate it was a real thing, and may happen this summer. Tim Connelly is not afraid to take big swings ??