New Rudy Gobert Trade Rumors Uncover Wolves' Stance After Randle-Nets Deal amid Anthony Edwards Buzz

After the Minnesota Timberwolves shipped away one of the top running mates for star guard Anthony Edwards by sending veteran forward Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, many are wondering about the future of their other star big men.

However, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer indicated that the Timberwolves are hoping to keep the rest of their frontcourt rotation intact, reporting that they "absolutely did not want to part with Naz Reid and were likewise skittish about shipping out Rudy Gobert rather than Randle because of Gobert's enduring effectiveness as an interior defensive anchor."

While it sounds like Gobert and Reid are safe, the Timberwolves could be in danger of Edwards wanting to force his way off the team.

During Tuesday's episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective (35:30 mark), ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported, "The NBA vultures are swirling around Ant in anticipation of him potentially becoming the next superstar who's available in the trade market." Windhorst added that the 24-year-old has been "frustrated" with the Timberwolves since they traded star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks prior to the 2024-25 season.

Monday's trade is unlikely to boost Edwards' morale, as Minnesota sent Randle and the No. 28 pick in Tuesday's NBA draft to Brooklyn as part of a three-team deal that also included the Chicago Bulls. Besides dumping Randle's salary, the only thing the Timberwolves received in the deal was the No. 33 pick in the second round of this year's draft.

The extra salary cap room gives Minnesota the financial flexibility to re-sign free-agent guard Ayo Dosunmu to an anticipated five-year, $112 million contract, and it could look to make another splash by bringing in more talent to support Edwards.

This offseason will be crucial for the Timberwolves as they try to keep up with the arms race in the NBA, and they must keep Edwards happy if they want to avoid losing another franchise player.