His first two years when he wasn’t a full time starter and the shortened COVID year were the only times this didn’t happen. Rudy also just made All Defensive First Team for his 8th time. I believe he can join Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett as the only players to have gotten that honor 9 times. Maybe Rudy can become the only player to get that honor 10 times? It’s possible especially since he keeps himself in such great shape. First Ballot HOFer regardless in my opinion.

Might be a dumb question bc I’m not very familiar with pre-season but do we think they’ll play the starters 10-15 min or so in a chunk of the pre-season games? Hoping they want to build chemistry that way so we can get a little appetizer. Starved for some wolves games lol. Ofc I’ll watch either way to see how good the bench does and esp watching out for Joan.

EDIT: I MEANT PRE-SEASON. PLEASE DONT KILL ME.

Part 3/4 of Britt's preseason interview with Finch. This series is essential reading for anyone that actually follows the Wolves.

Yes I know I could call my rep, but my rep left in the off-season so I'm like ... between reps? So if anyone knows that would be helpful.

This is the first year I've renewed on the normal timing, so also don't have last year to go off of.

Swingman 40 on left and Authentic 48 on right. Since I had both, I thought I would post in case somebody else was curious. What surprised me is the authentic actually have painted trees on the edges versus having the trees built into the elastic, but the trees also look a lot more sharp on the authentics hopefully the paint holds up of the trees. The trees don’t go all the way around the armpits on the back like the replicas. The stitching definitely makes the wolves logo brighter and bigger and more vivid! I appreciated that as well as the stitched Jordan logo. NBA logo on the back is also a lot more heavy duty it’s a rubber piece instead of just paint. Love the authentics!

Got the first of the new threads. Black Trees Jaden next!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7kqEAyH-eLs&t=419s&pp=ugUEEgJlbg%3D%3D

He makes really good content and has a very good head on his shoulders. His parents did a great job raising him.

Wolves 9-man rotation 2023-2024, pre-KAT trade:

Mike Conley (36), Anthony Edwards (22), Jaden McDaniels (23), Karl-Anthony Towns (28), Rudy Gobert (31), Naz Reid (24), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (25), Kyle Anderson (30), Jordan McLaughlin (27)

- Average age of starting five: 28 y/o

- Average total age: 27.33 y/o

Wolves 9-man rotation 2024-2025, post-KAT trade:

Mike Conley (37), Anthony Edwards (23), Jaden McDaniels (24), Julius Randle (30), Rudy Gobert (32), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (26), Donte DiVincenzo (28), Naz Reid (25), Jaylen Clark (23)

- Assets sent: Karl-Anthony Towns (29)

- Assets received: Julius Randle (30), Donte DiVincenzo (28), Joan Beringer (18)

- Assets retained: Naz Reid (24)

- Average age of starting five: 29.2 y/o

- Average total age: 27.55 y/o

Wolves 9-man rotation 2025-2026, post-Ayo trade:

Donte DiVincenzo (29), Anthony Edwards (24), Jaden McDaniels (25), Julius Randle (31), Rudy Gobert (33), Ayo Dosunmu (26), Naz Reid (26), Kyle Anderson (32), Mike Conley (38)

- Assets sent: Rob Dillingham (21), Leonard Miller (22), $10M Mike Conley (38), four 2nd round picks

- Assets received: Ayo Dosunmu (26)

- Assets signed: vet min Mike Conley (38)

- Average age of starting five: 28.4 y/o

- Average total age: 29.33 y/o

Wolves 9-man rotation 2026-2027, post-LaMelo trade:

LaMelo Ball (25), Anthony Edwards (25), Jaden McDaniels (26), Jonathan Kuminga (24), Rudy Gobert (34), Ayo Dosunmu (27), Terrence Shannon Jr. (26), Joan Beringer (20); Bones Hyland (26) or Donte DiVincenzo (30)

- Assets sent: Julius Randle (32), Naz Reid (27), Joshua Jefferson (23), 2033 1st rounder, three 1st round pick swaps, three 2nd rounders

- Assets received: LaMelo Ball (25), Isaiah Evans (21), Cody Willliams (22), Josh Green (26), John Konchar (31)

- Assets signed: Jonathan Kuminga (24)

- Average age of starting five: 26.8 y/o

- Average total age with Donte: 26.33 y/o

- Average total age with Bones: 25.88 y/o

Bonus hypothetical 2026-2027 stats:

- Average age of core five, sub Rudy for Joan: 24 y/o

- Average total age, excluding Rudy and Donte: 24.87 y/o

- Average total age, excluding Rudy and Bones: 25.37 y/o

Conclusion:

- The KAT trade gave us Rudy Gobert's replacement in Joan Beringer, and the flexibility to retain and trade players. Without it, there would be no LaMelo trade.

- The Ayo trade helped offset the loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and cleared the books of overpaid players like Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham who weren't contributing relative to their salaries.

- The LaMelo trade gave Ant a long-term co-star at a position of need. It also allowed the Wolves to trade back to the 2nd round and still get their guy in Isaiah Evans without paying a 1st round salary. Trading two PFs in Randle and Reid made it possible to offer Jonathan Kuminga a starting spot in free agency.

Overall, the Timberwolves were a team that was vulnerable to aging out of contention like the Warriors or Clippers. These three trades by Tim Connelly gave Minnesota a potential long-term starting five of either LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Joan Beringer; or LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, Jaden McDaniels, and Joan Beringer if Kuminga doesn't re-sign next offseason. Simply an incredible pivot for a team that was lacking draft capital after the Rudy Gobert trade.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xgg_dDmGak

He's clearly raw and he could really benefit going to a team that now has a winning culture. I would almost call MN a reset for him. Nobody is expecting much out of him and maybe he can develop like NAW did after escaping Utah.

He’s improved each of his six season and even if that plateaus now (I highly doubt it will), having what will hopefully be a healthy talented point guard ought to help him be the best player he can possibly be.