Rudy Gobert fires back at fans saying the Minnesota Timberwolves overpaid for him - "The average fan might not understand what I bring to the table"
Rudy Gobert
© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Not much has gone right for the Minnesota Timberwolves early this season, and it's resulted in a very disappointing 16-19 start to the season. Yes, they are currently without Karl-Anthony Towns for the time being, but that shouldn't be any reason for them to be the 11th seed in the Western Conference right now. It's clear that changes need to be made for the Timberwolves to make up some ground in the standings.
Gobert fires back at fans labeling his trade as a loss for the Timberwolves
One of the most disappointing developments for the Timberwolves has been that Rudy Gobert, the star center they traded for this past offseason, hasn't exactly fit in with his new team. Gobert has done what he usually does, acting as a strong paint presence on both ends of the floor, but it has yet to lead Minnesota to wins, and fans are getting frustrated.
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The frustration is more extensive than it typically would be because of the price Minnesota paid to land Gobert. The Timberwolves shelled out four draft picks, four players, and a pick swap in 2026 to land Gobert in a deal that was labeled an overpay and has not looked any better since. But Gobert is tired of hearing people say the Timberwolves overpaid to land him, and he took a quick shot at fans who labeled him a bust early on in his tenure with Minnesota.
"The average fan might not understand what I bring to the table, but the G.M.s in the league do." - Rudy Gobert, The New York Times
Can Gobert overcome his "overpay" label with the Timberwolves?
It's not as if this is something new that Gobert is hearing; the second the deal came out, many folks were baffled by what the Timberwolves gave up for Gobert. But Gobert is catching a lot of flak for Minnesota's struggles when in reality, he's been doing precisely what he has done all throughout his career.
For the most part, Gobert's numbers align with what he's produced throughout his career (13.8 PPG, 12 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.3 BPG, 66.7 FG%). The noticeable difference is the decrease in blocks, but Gobert has still remained one of the top overall defenders in the league. Gobert has been what the Timberwolves have paid for, so it's a bit confusing to see fans suddenly upset with his play.
Gobert likely will never be able to shake the "overpay" label that has followed him throughout the start of the season, but that's not his fault. Gobert is doing his job; the problem is that the rest of the Timberwolves need to do theirs. The Gobert deal is an overpay, but Gobert isn't the sole reason for Minnesota's struggles, and Timberwolves fans may want to look elsewhere when it comes to placing blame on this team.
