With the way that the Minnesota Timberwolves were disposed of in the Western Conference semifinals, fans left the series feeling like there would be roster changes for next season. Yes, they did take two games from the San Antonio Spurs, but three of Minnesota’s losses were by a combined 97 points.
Julius Randle felt like a clear trade target after his miserable six-game series against San Antonio. Rudy Gobert was another, as he finished with a goose egg in the scoring column for Game 6.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line wrote about the two of them in his latest Substack article.
“Based on my conversations with league personnel briefed on the matter, Minnesota has appeared more willing in recent conceptual trade talks to offer up three-time former All-Star Julius Randle — who has two seasons and nearly $70 million left on his deal — than Gobert.”
I’ve tended to agree with the Timberwolves that Randle should be the preferred piece to be traded rather than Gobert. After such a poor showing in the playoffs from Randle, this report isn't a surprise either.
Being more likely to trade Randle over Gobert makes sense
Now, I’m not saying Gobert should be untouchable. I just believe that an offer would need to blow the socks off Minnesota to deal the four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Both players are signed for next season with player options for 2027-28. The Timberwolves have 19-year-old Joan Beringer waiting in the wings as the successor to Gobert as the man in the middle.
I’m not sure that Beringer is ready for a much larger role already, although I do think he should get more minutes next season. Meanwhile, the Wolves have built a defensive identity over the past few years, with Gobert as the ringleader.
Good luck trying to replace his defensive impact if he were to be traded. There’s very little chance they would have advanced past the Denver Nuggets without Gobert’s relentless defense on Nikola Jokic.
Yes, Randle was their second option on offense this past, but he didn't look it in the playoffs and he proved to be a poor fit with the team. Again, nobody is surprised the Wolves are willing to trade Randle.
Perhaps Jaden McDaniels will prove to be more ready in that second option role if Randle is traded. The team also hopes to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu, someone who puts constant pressure on the rim and can be an excellent 3-point shooter. There's a good chance he would be even more comfortable with the club after a full training camp since he didn't join the Timberwolves until February.
They’re also rumored to be in the market for players that would take over Randle’s role as the second scoring option. The offense can also move at a quicker pace without the possessions where he plays iso ball, and the others on the court may be left standing still.
It’s an important offseason for the Timberwolves as they haven’t quite been able to take that next step towards becoming an NBA finalist.
While Randle seems like a clear trade candidate, the Wolves need to find a trade that works for them as well.
