Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has signed a three-year, $110 million extension to stay with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The team and player agreed on the extension before the season tipped-off with the Timberwolves taking on the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.
“Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has reached a three-year, $110 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. T’Wolves and Gobert’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye, negotiated the new deal locking in the league-record four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner in Minnesota.”
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year declined his $46.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season to agree on a three-year contract with an average salary of $36.6 per season.
The near-$10 million discount will help the Timberwolves tremendously in terms of team-building, as the $46.6 million he was owed next year guaranteed they would be fighting the second apron once again.
This deal involves a player option for the 2027-28 season and includes a trade kicker if the Timberwolves decide they need to move on. Gobert averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks last season.
With Karl-Anthony Towns being traded away from the franchise over the summer, it seems like Gobert will be a long-term option for the team as their starting center. His defensive impact is inarguable, as also indicated by what he achieved with the Utah Jazz before.
Unfortunately, his Playoff viability will continue to raise questions from fans and experts, especially after he struggled to keep up with the Dallas Mavericks on the perimeter during the 2024 Western Conference Finals and also let Mavericks center Dereck Lively II go 16-16 in field goal attempts, all at the rim.
Gobert will guarantee the Timberwolves have a competitive regular season record, something he’s done in almost every season of his career. With a defined role as the team’s only real center, the French center should be even more comfortable in doing what he needs to do without sharing the frontcourt with Towns.
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