When the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a salary-dump move, I was left wondering: what's next? To me, a Rudy Gobert trade seemed like the best way to upgrade the roster around Anthony Edwards. However,recent reporting from The Stein Line indicates that a Gobert trade is unlikely.
"The Wolves absolutely did not want to part with Naz Reid and were likewise skittish about shipping out Rudy Gobert rather than Randle because of Gobert's enduring effectiveness as an interior defensive anchor."
Maybe the Wolves change their mind and end up trading him. The idea of a Derrick White trade is intriguing and it could be more possible now that the Boston Celtics struck out on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Nevertheless, it doesn't seem like the Wolves are keen on trading Gobert and at this juncture, it feels likely that Randle will be their only key piece moved this summer. As the Wolves attempt to become true title contenders, purely banking on internal growth is both unconventional and risky.
If the Timberwolves keep Gobert, they will fully be banking on internal growth
Minnesota can still utilize its cap space to sign a free agent above the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, but what's the best-case scenario? They land someone like Anfernee Simons? While Simons is a fantastic microwave scorer, he isn't a true difference maker as a playmaker or defender.
It's worth noting they have a $33 million trade exception, but per Jon Krawczynski, it's unlikely to be utilized.
Point being, it seems like the Wolves are betting on the Randle trade being addition by subtraction and the idea of internal growth.
I still think that the Wolves have some solid talent alongside Ant with Jaden McDaniels, Ayo Dosunmu and Naz Reid. These three players all complement Edwards' skill set nicely and they are all 26 years old or younger. McDaniels and Dosunmu, in particular, have shown signs of being able to scale up, while Reid is a much cleaner fit alongside Edwards than Randle was.
Joan Beringer could also be poised for a massive step up in his second season.
Still, there's no denying that banking on internal growth is a risk and it's one that could backfire in a major way. When you are trying to catch up to the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, it's hard to argue that this will be enough.
Randle's market was never expected to be robust, but I at least always expected him to yield at least some rotation players. Given that Nic Claxton was involved in the trade, it showed that Randle did have some value. Regardless, the Wolves opted to solely prioritize financial flexibility, which indicates a clear belief in their existing core, particularly after this Gobert update.
Trading Randle could prove to be the ultimate addition by subtraction move, but there's also a chance that the Wolves simply don't have the talent needed to compete at the highest level.
Without a doubt, the Wolves' likely offseason plan is a major risk and it could make or break Minnesota's ability to reach the status of true title contention.
