Trade Proposal: Rudy Gobert to Oklahoma City?

Following potentially the worst season of his career in several seasons, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert's value around the NBA is incredibly low for a former multi-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Gobert's time with the Utah Jazz ended after the franchise decided to rebuild and trade their budding star pairing of him and Donovan Mitchell, which provided Utah with a plethora of assets.

Minnesota's trade looks negative in hindsight, giving up solid role players like Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley, the draft rights to one of the best performing rookies last season in Walker Kessler, and a total of four first-round picks and a swap.

Gobert's contract is also a major concern, with three years left at a total of $131 million. There is a player option on the final year, but it will be assumed that he takes that option. That being said, a potential Gobert trade to Oklahoma City is an intriguing one. The center can still provide elite defensive play inside the paint, along with well over 10 rebounds a game.

The fit alongside Chet Holmgren could be beneficial for the Thunder rookie. The NBA game is much more physical than college or Summer League, so it would allow the rookie to breathe and slowly settle into becoming the centerpiece of an NBA defense.

Trade Proposal: The Minnesota Timberwolves trade Rudy Gobert and a 2024 lottery-protected first to The Oklahoma City Thunder for Davis Bertans, Victor Oladipo, Tre Mann and Aleksej Pokusevski

This trade would mostly be a contract dump for Minnesota, getting largely salary filler in Davis Bertans and Victor Oladipo. However, Tre Mann and Aleksej Pokusevski are solid pieces that the Timberwolves could try to develop into impact players.

Pokusevski is a specific player that could be met with criticism if the Thunder were to include him in a trade for Gobert, but the forward has shown little progress in his game to make him much of an untouchable piece. Pokusevski still has potential left, but on a team with so much young talent that is progressing rapidly, his time in Oklahoma City might soon be up.

To incentivize the trade for Oklahoma City, Minnesota would also need to give up some draft capital, in this case a lottery-protected first round pick.

On a young team where he could become a veteran voice in the locker room, Gobert could once again flourish in a new scenery. While he likely won't reach the heights he once did in Utah, Gobert could be a solid addition to the playoff-contending Thunder next season.

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