The Minnesota Timberwolves‘ season has come to a close, and trade rumors are already starting to surround the team. In particular, Rudy Gobert is hearing his name thrown around as a trade candidate. Minnesota has had more success than ever before with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year on their roster, as they’ve won five playoff series with the Frenchman manning their defense.
However, there is a growing sentiment that Gobert is a floor-raiser, but not somebody that teams can win a championship with. If changes end up coming to the Timberwolves roster, the New Orleans Pelicans could emerge as candidates to make a deal for the center. If that becomes so, what kind of package could New Orleans offer?
Pelicans trade package for Rudy Gobert
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
New Orleans Pelicans receive: Rudy Gobert
Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Yves Missi, Jordan Poole, future first-round pick, three future second-round picks
The Pelicans are a team loaded with potential, but one that hasn’t been able to reach their ceiling. This largely stems from Zion Williamson’s lack of consistency. When on the floor, the former number one overall pick is an All-Star caliber player and one of the best offensive talents in the league. The former college player of the year has averaged 23.8 points per game for his career, thanks to his elite athleticism and interior scoring. However, Williamson has spent way too much time throughout his career stuck on the sideline because of injuries.
The Pelicans have refused to give up on the Duke product to this point, so they have to operate under the assumption that Williamson will be able to string together a healthy season. If Williamson is healthy, it would make sense to pair him with an elite shot-blocking center. After all, defense isn’t Williamson’s forte.
Obviously, Gobert supplies that. He is not just still one of the best rim protectors in the league, but one of the best defensive players in NBA history. The Pelicans had one of the worst defenses in the NBA this season. They ranked 29th in 2-point field goal percentage against. Gobert’s offensive fit next to Williamson may be a tad bit worrisome, but he certainly fixes their interior defensive issues. Recently hired Jamahl Mosley is a defensive-minded coach, and he’d surely love to have one of the league’s best defenders on his new roster. Plus, in this trade, the Pelicans would hold onto Derik Queen, an offensive-minded center who could pick up Gobert’s slack on that end.
Giving up more than just one first-round pick probably isn’t something the Pelicans will be willing to do, considering they were already ridiculed for giving up their 2026 first-rounder unprotected in the draft day trade that landed them Queen. They could move off of Yves Missi, a fellow recent first-round big man, though. Jordan Poole could also be on the move in this trade. Poole provides spark plug scoring, but Dejounte Murray impressed in his return from an achilles injury, so Poole’s skill set isn’t as important for the Pelicans as it once was.
The Timberwolves aren’t in a position to go into full rebuild mode, but changes are always on the table with an aggressive decision maker like Tim Connelly calling the shots. The team would also receive a surplus of second-round picks in this deal. After already receiving four future second-round picks in the Rob Dillingham trade, three more twos would give the Timberwolves plenty of flexibility to do even more wheeling and dealing going forward. If Gobert is to be traded, this is a deal that the Timberwolves would have to consider.
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ season has come to a close, and trade rumors are already starting to surround the team. In particular, Rudy Gobert is hearing his name thrown around as a trade candidate. Minnesota has had more success than ever before with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year on their roster, as they’ve won five playoff series with the Frenchman manning their defense.