The Minnesota Timberwolves traded away a massive haul of draft capital for Rudy Gobert in the 2022 offseason. They sent five players, including Walker Kessler, five first-round selections, and a pick swap to the Utah Jazz in exchange for the star center.
Regardless of what fans think about the trade package, Gobert positively impacted the Timberwolves. Here is a breakdown of his tenure so far in Minnesota.
Rudy Gobert Signed a Massive Contract Extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves
Gobert had three years left on his five-year, $205 million veteran maximum extension when Minnesota made the trade. In Oct. 2024, the big man signed a three-year, $109.5 million veteran extension from 2025-27, including a player option for the 2027-28 campaign. The Timberwolves owe him $35 million for this season.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gobert holds a net worth of $100 million and has earned more than $296 million across his 13-year NBA career.
Minnesota gave up a lot of future assets for Gobert, so it was important for them to lock up the three-time All-Star. All of those All-Star selections came in Utah, but Gobert still brought his historic defensive prowess to Minnesota. However, it took some time for the team to mesh.
The Timberwolves went 42-40 in his first season and flamed out in the first round of the playoffs. The early returns from the big trade did not look good. In fact, one fan even said, “That Gobert trade has the potential to be one of the worst trades in NBA history.”
Gobert Brings Defensive Dominance to Minnesota
Looking back, this reaction might be a little premature. The Timberwolves and Gobert really found their identity in the 2023-24 campaign as a defensive beast. They owned the best defensive rating in the league at 108.4, and no team came close to them. The Boston Celtics ranked second at 110.6.
Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards form a lethal perimeter defensive duo, while Gobert’s elite rim protection cleans up anything inside. Nickeil Alexander-Walker also provided great point-of-attack defense off the bench before he signed with the Atlanta Hawks this summer. Minnesota finished the 2023-24 regular season with 56 wins – the second-best total in franchise history.
The Timberwolves reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004 but fell to the Dallas Mavericks in five games. They repeated their playoff success in 2025, but the Oklahoma City Thunder vanquished them in another five-game series loss.
Gobert’s defensive impact cannot be overlooked. Since he and Minnesota hit their stride after the 2022-23 campaign, the team has carried a top-six defensive rating in each of the last three seasons.
The 33-year-old won one of his four Defensive Player of the Year titles with the Timberwolves in the 2023-24 campaign. Gobert does not score 20 points a night or space the floor like some of his peers, but few players in NBA history have sustained his level of defensive dominance.
