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The 2021-22 NBA season gave fans some hope as the Minnesota Timberwolves returned to the playoffs after four years. Although eliminated in the first round, the team showed promise with Anthony Edwards proving he deserved to be a No. 1 pick and Karl-Anthony Towns showing he is one of the best big men in the league.
The front office made quiet but important signings in the offseason, such as bringing in Kyle Anderson. The veteran has playmaking skills and solid defense despite being known as “slow-mo” due to his speed. The team also signed Bryn Forbes, who has championship experience and can help the Wolves outside the perimeter with his career 41.3% mark from 3-point range.
But those moves were flying under the radar because Minnesota made a blockbuster move that can finally take them to the next level. This big trade will certainly go down as the best and most impactful move for the Timberwolves this offseason.
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Timberwolves' Best 2022 NBA Offseason Move
Minnesota shocked the NBA when the franchise acquired Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. The team traded Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, and rookie Walker Kessler, plus four first-round picks and a pick swap.
Gobert averaged 15.6 points, a league-best 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting 71.3% from the field, the best mark in the NBA.
Acquiring a player like Gobert will be a game changer for the franchise that has not won a playoff series since 2004. The Wolves have also only made it to the postseason twice in that span.
The tandem of Gobert and Towns could be one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. They complement each other in almost every way.
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Offensively, Gobert is focused on shots close to the rim, while Towns shoots above 40% from beyond the arc. Defensively, Towns has been part of a Wolves team that is a perennial candidate for one of the worst defensive ratings in the league, whereas Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 2.2 blocks per game in his career.
Towns and Gobert together create what could be scary rim protection. With an elite shot blocker in Gobert and Towns' length and rebounding abilities, opponents will have to think twice when trying to penetrate the paint.
Additionally, the move also gives the chance for Towns to play as a power forward again and gives him the liberty to space the floor even more than in years past.
Furthermore, the Wolves were still able to keep core players such as Edwards and D'Angelo Russell on the team. Both have had their moments in the league, especially former All-Star Russell, and Edwards is just entering his third year in the NBA. Keeping most of the offensive game is important due to Gobert's limitations on that side of the ball.
The four-time All-NBA player brings a more traditional style of center back to Minnesota that, even if rare nowadays, can help when facing players like Giannis Antetokounmpo who like to attack the rim.
The Timberwolves addressed one of its biggest needs in defense by trading for Gobert and added a great partner to Towns, making it the team's best move in this offseason. If they can build around the young pieces they have such as Edwards, plus experienced veterans such as KAT and Russell, Minnesota has perhaps one of its best shots of making a deep playoff run since the Kevin Garnett days.
