Did the Minnesota Timberwolves make a huge mistake in trading for Rudy Gobert?

Was trading for Rudy Gobert a massive mistake for the Minnesota Timberwolves? 

During the offseason, many questioned when the Minnesota Timberwolves made the big splash move of acquiring Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. It was one that many didn’t see coming and certainly not from the Wolves.

Nevertheless, it was clear that the Wolves were all-in on this team and that they believed Gobert would give them a shot at taking a step forward in the Western Conference.

Through the first few weeks of the regular season, that hasn’t exactly been the case. Through eight games, the Wolves are just 4-4 and have been extremely inconsistent. Let’s just look at their early-season results thus far.

Is Rudy Gobert at fault for the inconsistent Minnesota Timberwolves?

The only four wins that the Wolves have had thus far this season have come against the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers. At the same rate, they’ve lost to the Spurs twice, to the Utah Jazz, and to the Phoenix Suns. That’s the sign of an inconsistent team.

The Wolves have the 23rd-ranked offense in the league, the 10th-ranked defense, and the 12th-best net rating. That’s a bit confusing. You can see the Gobert impact on the defensive end of the floor, but the Wolves weren’t terrible last year defensive – ranked 13th.

Offensively is where the Wolves have fallen off. Last season, the Wolves had a top-10 offense. They’ve struggled mightily on that end of the floor. And you can’t help but wonder what Gobert’s presence has had on their offense.

For all the good he does defensively, he has always struggled on the offensive end. So much so that he often was unplayable down the stretch for the Jazz during the postseason. Could that end up being what will eventually happen in Minnesota?

The hope is that it isn’t. Especially considering that the Wolves essentially mortgaged their future for Gobert.

It’s still early. The season is not even 10 games old. Maybe things begin to change and the Wolves figure out how to effectively use Gobert and integrate him into the offense.

I suppose the question needs to be, does an inconsistent Wolves team mean that acquiring Gobert was a mistake?

The Wolves entered the season with expectations and they’re not handling it. But it’s only fair to allow the Wolves to work through these learning curves. It’s too early to call the Gobert trade a mistake. But there’s no question that all eyes will be on the Wolves. This can’t be a mistake.