Minnesota has clearly displayed its ambitions, bringing in Rudy Gobert via a trade. The players of the competition seem in any case to be wary of this brand new squad, starting with Alex Caruso who has been ultra-cash about him recently.
For years, there really wasn’t much to expect from the Timberwolves, stuck season after season in the Western Conference underworld. All of this, however, is changing radically: Karl-Anthony Towns & co. returned to the playoffs in 2021-22, showing a good level of play. In addition to that, the leaders struck a blow by setting up a trade for Rudy Gobert, who will therefore wear the colors of the franchise from this fall.
Now, the workforce looks much better, even if it has been plucked with the arrival of the French (five players sent to Utah). With the Towns-Gobert-Anthony Edwards triplet, the group led by Chris Finch can hope to go far. On the side of the opponents, we follow in any case the progress of the Wolves very closely, including at the Bulls. While on JJ Redick’s podcast recently, Alex Caruso spoke about them, explaining that they looked a lot like what he had known in Los Angeles:
Wolves with Gobert as Lakers of 2019-20?
.@ACFresh21 shares why Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Timberwolves remind him of the 2020 Lakers.
Full episode with @jj_redick and @talter is now live: https://t.co/I2Tgea6gVq pic.twitter.com/IyZAwSViSN
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 15, 2022
This team reminds me a lot of the one I was on when we won the title at the Lakers. AD started at position 4, so that his body was spared throughout the season and that he did not have to fight against competing pivots. Going into the trenches every game really wears you out. Reminds me of Javale McGee and Dwight Howard doing the dirty work instead.
Of course, they still have to figure out which line-up will work best for them. But I think the fit is great because Gobert does everything that KAT doesn’t do very well, while KAT does things that Gobert can’t do as well. I really think it’s a good fit between the two, and we’ll just have to wait and see how it goes.
The complementarity between the two big men will indeed be at the heart of the work of the coaching staff, since they can wreak havoc together, on paper. One is a big offensive powerhouse, while the other is one of the best defensemen in the league. They are therefore totally compatible in theory, and will therefore be able to allow their partner to rest in certain sectors. Enough to arrive fresh as roach in post-season, when the serious things really start.
According to Alex Caruso, the new look Timberwolves therefore look a lot like the Lakers of the 2019-20 season. Given that the then Purples and Golds finished with the championship trophy in their hands in the Orlando bubble, the comparison will surely be happily accepted by Rudy Gobert & co.
