The Timberwolves‘ experiment of playing two big men together has been questioned ever since Rudy Gobert was acquired from Utah last summer to team with Karl-Anthony Towns. Even though Minnesota was eliminated from the playoffs in five games, coach Chris Finch‘s comments show that the organization is committed to making the pairing successful, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“They’re both really incredibly good basketball players,” Finch said after Tuesday’s Game 5 loss. “With the skill level that KAT has, for sure, there’s no reason basketball-wise that it shouldn’t work. There’s a lot of things we can talk about about why the learning curve was so steep for it. But the most important thing is we have a big enough body of work, I think we can properly evaluate it. I still remain extremely confident we’re able to maximize those guys.”
Finch indicated that he’ll consider changes to the offense this summer, and Krawczynski notes that Towns and Gobert will have an opportunity to work together during the offseason. Towns had an illness at the start of training camp and missed 52 games during the season with a calf injury, so their acclimation process was interrupted.
Krawczynski observes that the Wolves took a step backward in rebounding despite having two natural centers in their starting lineup. He states that being outrebounded in last year’s playoffs prompted the deal for Gobert, but Minnesota fell to 27th in rebounding percentage this season after finishing 21st last year.
“It’s going to take a lot better habits from our perimeter players boxing out, to be quite honest with you,” Finch said of the rebounding issue. “It has to be a big point of emphasis.”
There’s more on the Timberwolves:
- An extension for Anthony Edwards will be among the team’s offseason priorities, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link). The All-Star guard is eligible for a five-year deal worth a projected $207MM, but that could rise to $249MM if he makes an All-NBA team. Marks points out that a maximum-salary extension for Edwards would make Minnesota the only team with three max players when it kicks in during the 2024/25 season. The Wolves will also consider a rookie scale extension for forward Jaden McDaniels, who is considered a candidate to make an All-Defensive team, Marks adds.
- Trade speculation surrounding Towns, whose four-year, $224MM super-max extension takes effect in 2024/25, could get much louder over the next year, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Towns will become trade-eligible in July, and Gozlan points out that he’s a logical trade option if the Wolves want to keep Edwards and McDaniels and there’s no market for Gobert.
- The Timberwolves may find it too expensive to keep both Naz Reid and Jaylen Nowell in free agency, Gozlan adds. He expects Reid to get offers for the full mid-level exception, which is projected to be $52.5MM over four years.
Gobert and KAT could be a dominate combo. You just need a coach who knows what they are doing.
You also need them to be surrounded by players who can make a lot of 3’s… defenses are too good now to reliably score 100% of your points in the paint.
Other than that the concept is fine. It works for several other teams including the rebuilt Lakers (ignoring their constant health issues).
Yes exactly. If anyone is traded it’s going to be Anthony Edwards if you decide to keep Towns and Gobert together. At the off guard or Wing you need three point shooting. You need a Klay Thompson type who has good size but shoots it well. Not a slasher who goes to the hole and clogs the lane with the two big men. I know they’ll never trade Anthony Edwards but those three together doesn’t make a lot of sense for success.
Trade Edwards? Just stop
What part of “I know they’ll never trade Anthony Edwards” didn’t you understand?
In other words, the wolves are destined to be first round exit material as long as they keep those three together, which seems to be for the next few years once they extend Ant.
Hahahaha, then what you talking for? Oh “let me create this scenario that will never happen so I can waste time for absolutely no reason.” Great idea!!!
Yes and no.
First your point about defenses being to good now? The leagues DefRTG is the worst it’s ever been since it’s been recorded in the 60s. So, no.
Having the 3pt shooting would make things a lot easier, but it’s not completely necessary if you have a really good defense and a team that can run in transition. So to your point, if I’m the coach, I’m pushing KAT to get in shape. That’s what needs to happen to make it work
League defensive rating is worse *because* 3 pointers exist.
Well 3 pointers have existed for 40+ years, so what is different about this year? Hmmm?
Gobert will be traded to the Hawks. You heard it hear first.
What’s the deal? For Collins?
Does Minny have any picks left to entice Atlanta? Atlanta has Capela and Okangwu….don’t see it happening
They just gave up NINE for him. What do you expect they’ll get back?
Ain’t no way, no how, he will be traded. You have to consider the price they paid, and then especially with that contract.
Essentially he is the most untradable guy on the face of the planet in any sport at this point for those two specific reasons.
Ummm, no. Anyone with any good business sense doesn’t consider the price you paid, because time and time again in business, it has been proven it is always better to cut losses than hope value on a declining asset will return. Stay in your lane
Then aside from the fact that Rudy gobert is untradable to any team, you have to consider Quinn Snyder is the coach of the Hawks !! lol. He just had Rudy for 7 years. He’s done with him and knows he can’t win with him. No way he takes him back now in Atlanta. He’s got a cheaper better version in Capela anyway. My goodness.
My goodness? You just put the writing on the wall and you don’t even see it. Trae Young with both Gobert and Capela behind him? I mean, you got to be dumb asf to not make that move if your ATL
Quin Snyder won a ton of games with Gobert, they just never won a championship together. He couldn’t get Mitchell to buy in on defense after Mitchell checked out the last couple of years.
Snyder was instrumental in Gobert’s development. He knows how to build a defense around him but Atlanta’s not the answer as Gobert gets complacent when he’s not involved in the offense. KAT had the right approach throwing Gobert lobs into the post. The problem this season for T-wolves was Edwards. He has tunnel vision. He either gets to the basket or throws a bad pass. He’s young though and should learn.
@Juice M Wah So MIN is going to trade a big to ATL, who has 2 bigs (Capella and Collins)?
Key word: “Traded.” Meaning someone will leave the Hawks to go to MIN. Most likely either Capela or Collins. Does anyone have any common sense anymore?
The experiment (pairing KAT with Gobert) really hasn’t gotten started yet (with KAT missing so much time), so nobody can say it failed. The real problem with the Gobert deal isn’t fit (yet anyway, that won’t be determined until after the experiment is complete), it’s price (they just paid too high a price for him under any circumstances, and certainly too high a price to initiate this experiment). That said, the price was paid, and the experiement is worth going forward with. Finch has shown enough as a HC to be given a shot with it.
Minny would have played better with Reid and McDaniels. I think it is best to run it back and see. I see a good team if Edwards keeps rising!
Wolves have $15 million tax room. They can’t keep all 4 young players for the long run
Edwards
McDaniel
Reid
Novell
Wolves need to invest in youth – McDaniels and edwards are key pieces.
KAT could fetch a lot. Someone needs to go. Gobert and him didn’t work well together. Either is fine, I’d just be interested in edwards taking over as leader. Just seeing how well they did without KAT without really improving when he came back makes me think a move could help everyone.