Rudy Gobert is a fierce competitor who strongly believes in himself. These are two of his strengths, in addition to everything he can do on the pitch. Suddenly, it is not surprising to have heard the French show his ambitions after his transfer to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The All-Star center started talking about the title, presenting the franchise’s goal for the coming seasons.
But even being optimistic, it’s still a damn bad reading of the franchise’s situation. Wolves weren’t one piece away from the title last season, far from it, and that piece isn’t the tricolor interior either. Yes, the team can progress thanks to its arrival and the development of the young players who are Anthony Edwards and even Karl-Anthony Towns.
Still it would have to be a good “fit. “Playing with two greats in this NBA remains a risky bet. The fact that, for now, it’s not really working for Rudy Gobert and his teammates. Insiders and even NBA executives interviewed by Zach Lowe, one of the most highly rated and knowledgeable analysts in the market, saw it coming.
“For every divisive transfer, there’s always someone in the league saying ‘I see what they want to do, I would have made that trade too.’ The Sabonis and Haliburton trade is a good example. I found that people criticized the Kings way too much. I think the Pacers did better. But I felt the Kings were unfairly criticized. There were people in the NBA who liked this trade and were sure it was going to work.
But for Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, I couldn’t find anyone who thought it was a good deal for Wolves. »
For now, the team shows a negative differential when the Frenchman is on the pitch. Somehow, it’s logical, it takes time to adapt. But the leaders gave up five players and four picks to bring in Gobert. It is enormous. And they could quickly find themselves under pressure if ever the team does not raise the bar quickly.
