The other Timberwolves trade: Losing depth, gaining a potentially elite starting five.

New Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert posed for a portrait after Wednesday’s press conference at target Center.An underrated feature of the Timberwolves' success last season was their depth. With a few exceptions, they rarely were caught short-handed with starting lineups or bench lineups that couldn't compete, a function of relatively good health and an abundance of quality rotation players.

In the dramatic deal to acquire Rudy Gobert, who was introduced Wednesday to the local media and fans, we shouldn't overlook that the Wolves not only traded away a lot of draft capital but also three players who combined to start 149 games and each ranked in the top-7 on the team in minutes…