Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert might just be the butt of social media jokes.
However, the franchise that he’s playing for sees Gobert in a much different light. While everyone else was busy knocking him for his supposed shortcomings, the Timberwolves agreed to a three-year, $110 million contract extension with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, per ESPN senior insider Shams Charania.
Timberwolves Make Necessary Multi-Year Commitment To Rudy Gobert
To complete the deal, Gobert will decline his $46.6 million annual salary for 2025-26. He’ll now make $36.7 million annually through 2027-28, with a player option in the final year of his contract. With this move, the Timberwolves may have significantly reduced their future financial commitments.
Gobert is declining his $46.6M player option for 2025-26 and receiving a fresh multiyear extension through 2027-28 – also giving Minnesota significant flexibility next season opting out. Final season has a player option, sources said. https://t.co/elXhX9Tl0v
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2024
Of note, when Minnesota made their splash trade for All-Star forward Julius Randle, his contract was said to be a factor. While Karl-Anthony Towns is set to make $220.4 million through 2027-28, Randle only has two years and $64 million remaining on his deal. Should Randle fail to re-sign when his contract expires, the Timberwolves will save $20.4 million in the 2026 offseason by moving Towns for him, even with Gobert’s deal.
With over $30 million in projected practical cap space in what will be a deep 2026 free agent class, they could make any number of moves. That being said, Minnesota may not use that money trying to find a starting center. Gobert is an imperfect player, but the Timberwolves have repeatedly stated their interest in keeping him long-term.
He’s their defensive anchor.
That’s not just because he’s an elite rim-protector and rebounder, though that certainly helps. It’s also because of his basketball IQ and communication. Furthermore, Gobert appears to have drastically matured, taking his leadership role seriously.
As time wears on, it’ll be easier to assess whether or not the league has outpaced him. He’s an underrated defender when guarding out in space, but it’s definitely not natural for him. Yet, for all the criticisms levied towards the Frenchman, there aren’t that many players who are better than him at his position.
The Timberwolves probably recognized that as much as Gobert realized his unsavory reputation might affect his offers next summer.
