The biggest reason that the Rudy Gobert trade was made is because the Minnesota Timberwolves thought that it would improve their defense, make them a more dynamic team on both ends, and cover up Karl-Anthony Towns’ weaknesses. Adding a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year is a strong argument for pulling the trigger.
While there is no denying that last season was a roller coaster with more downs than ups, there is one good thing from the 2022-23 campaign that surprised even me when looking back on the tumultuous 2022-23 year: the Minnesota Timberwolves ranked #10 in defensive rating.