The San Antonio Spurs are ready to take a massive jump this season, relying on Victor Wembanyama to take a step up after a dominant rookie season. Veteran additions such as Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes this summer show that the Spurs are done rebuilding and are pushing for wins now. The team will be expected to consistently evaluate the market to add win-now players besides their generational big man, with a potential blockbuster addition on the cards if they pursue it.
The Minnesota Timberwolves made the Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history, primarily because of Anthony Edwards ' ascendancy into NBA superstardom. Rudy Gobert won Defensive Player of the Year last season for his contributions but was targeted by teams like the Mavericks in the Playoffs, leading to the Wolves losing as the higher seed.
A trade to recoup assets and add depth to the Wolves by sending Gobert to the Spurs might help both teams take a step closer to their goals.
Trade Details
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Rudy Gobert, Josh Minott, Leonard Miller
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins, Malaki Branham, 2025 First-Round Pick (ATL), 2027 First-Round Pick (SAS)
The Wolves won't get two first-round picks from many franchises in the NBA for Gobert after their trade for him was widely panned as an overpay in 2022. This return is solid, as it gives the Wolves two solid rotational players along with a high-upside young scorer like Branham. The Spurs move Wembanyama to the power forward for Gobert in the middle to create one of the scariest inside defenses in modern NBA history.
The Spurs Find The Antidote To Big Man Play In The West
The NBA was referred to as a guards' league for the better part of the 2010s but all the MVPs in this decade have been big men. Giannis Antetokounmpo , Joel Embiid , and Nikola Jokic have stopped guards from winning the MVP, with the Western Conference Playoffs last year showing the importance of versatile big-man play to be a successful team. The Spurs have Wembanyama but are without a solid option they can play alongside or behind him.
Gobert averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks last season, pipping Wembanyama to the DPOY trophy. Given Gobert's skill as an inside protector as compared to Wembanyama's more versatile defensive skill set, the Spurs could leverage one of the strongest defensive frontcourts in NBA history with this pairing.
They would also add another dimension to their offense, with Gobert ranking historically as one of the league's most prolific dunkers off pick-and-rolls. Chris Paul will do wonders for both Gobert and Wembanyama's impact on scoring as the PnR ball-handler.
The Spurs can give Gobert the support he needs from his perimeter players in constructing a league-best defense, as seen with the Wolves last season. Players like rookie Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and others are all strong perimeter defenders who can add to Gobert's defensive impact.
Both Gobert and Wembanyama patrolling the paint would lead to drive-heavy guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic to adjust their strategies while intimidating teams like the Nuggets and Lakers who excel through their size as Gobert and Wemby nullify that advantage. It also counteracts the OKC Thunder's move to sign Isaiah Hartenstein , as a Gobert-Wemby big-man duo would be leagues ahead of a Hartenstein-Chet Holmgren duo as well.
The Timberwolves Set Up A Sustainable Future
Anthony Edwards is just 23 years old. The Timberwolves have leveraged away their future assets far too early in the life cycle of Edwards as a player, as the team will run out of mediums to enhance their roster with the resource drain the trio of Gobert, Karl Anthony-Towns and Edwards put on the franchise. Given the deserved extensions to Jaden McDaniels and 2024 Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid , the Wolves will walk into salary hell if they don't move off a contract like Gobert.
Instead of building their defense around a center who might be past his prime, the Wolves rely on their young perimeter-centric core alongside Towns having all the space he needs on the inside.
Keldon Johnson averaged 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season and will be a nice offensive wing option behind McDaniels. Collins averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season, becoming the team's backup big man as Reid can finally enter the starting lineup alongside Towns, who can return to playing center.
Reid and Towns are a solid frontcourt duo with Collins providing solid backup play for the franchise. They add more pieces to their overall roster depth with Keldon and Malaki Branham, who averaged 9.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season. He is a developmental candidate who could be useful if rookie Rob Dillingham doesn't perform up to the standard the Wolves are hoping he can.
Acquiring a couple of picks with three young players who could be actual rotational pieces for the contending Wolves would be a massive get. There will be a defensive hole on the roster but they'll be far better equipped overall to continue improving.
Both Teams Chart Winning Courses
The Timberwolves could make a run at contending with their existing core this season, but there is not much information to indicate they can take a step up outside of Edwards' expected improvement as a young superstar. Gobert is older and Towns might have hit the peak of his career, so the Wolves could find themselves in a situation where their supporting cast is weakened and they have no avenues to make upgrades. This trade sets them up for the future while keeping them competitive.
The Spurs have durability concerns for the lanky Wembanyama as a full-time center, so bringing Gobert to absorb that pressure in the short term as he continues to develop would be great. Gobert has been a mentor to Wembanyama in his career, so his presence in the locker room could be greatly beneficial to Wembanyama's development as well.
The Spurs have plenty of assets to afford this trade without locking up future flexibility. It is a great way for them to establish a competitive base to build off as Wembanyama looks to realize his potential to be one of the greatest ever by bringing more titles to San Antonio.
Related: Grade The Trade: Knicks Land Rudy Gobert In A Surprising Mock Deal With The Timberwolves
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