The Minnesota Timberwolves made an aggressive move by trading five players and five first-round picks for Rudy Gobert. While the blockbuster trade has excited fans, some fear the Timberwolves made a deal for their own hardwood Herschel Walker.
But if you ask Draymond Green, the trade makes sense because the Wolves have a superstar in Anthony Edwards.
The Golden State Warriors star praised Edwards in the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” stating that the reason they made the trade was to build around the 20-year-old phenom.
“What this trade says to me is that they believe that they have a superstar in Anthony Edwards,” Green said. “You think about the NBA. What championships used to be was having a great guard and a great big. And that says to me that they believe that [Edwards] can carry the torch.”
The belief that this trade is about Edwards is an interesting one. Edwards averaged career-highs across the board in his second season, but the Timberwolves just gave a $224 million supermax extension to Karl-Anthony Towns.
Green went on to say that while Towns is still important to what the Timberwolves do, they never made an aggressive move to build around him like the one to acquire Gobert.
“KAT’s been there,” Green explained. “They weren’t trading the No. 1 overall pick [when they drafted Edwards.] They weren’t trading picks anytime before that or really after. But they’re in win-now mode because I think Minnesota thinks they have a superstar in Anthony Edwards. And by the way, I believe they do.”
Green believes that by acquiring Gobert, the Timberwolves can also be more aggressive on the court. He referenced the playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies where Ja Morant “dominated at the rim” and the Timberwolves couldn’t rebound.
Gobert should help in both areas and make the Timberwolves a better team, but Green believes that the deal will help Edwards ascend to superstardom.
“The thing I love about [Edwards] is, he’s got the game,” Green said. “He talks it. He walks it. He’s got the personality. He’s got what it takes to be one of those guys and Minnesota sees that. They’re going all-in on that and I think it’s a beautiful thing.”
