The New York Knicks are ready to push for a championship this season after making a mega offseason trade deal to acquire Mikal Bridges. Given the proven strength of their roster over the last two seasons, the Bridges deal might be enough to put the Knicks over the rest of the field as the biggest challengers to the Celtics. However, the Knicks might still need to fine-tune their roster to maximize their chances at success.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are stuck with their current team, as their salary space is fully occupied and they don’t have future draft picks at their disposal. Instead of protecting their sole-remaining first-round pick, they can use it to get a nifty two-for-one upgrade on their roster, though they’ll have to say goodbye to an All-Star center.
Trade Details
New York Knicks Receive: Rudy Gobert, 2028 First-Round Pick Swap (MIN), 2025 Second-Round Pick (UTA), 2026 Second-Round Pick (IND)
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson
The Wolves mortgaged everything for Gobert two seasons ago. While it did bring results last season, it’s hard to see how they push for a title this season by keeping the same style of play exposed in the Western Conference Finals. This deal gives the Wolves additional depth and star power next to Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, while Tom Thibodeau gets the rim-protecting and shot-blocking center he thrives with.
The Knicks Emerge As Top Contenders In The East
The Knicks proved they could be competitive without Julius Randle last season, continuing their dominant form from early 2024 even after Randle was hurt. OG Anunoby’s injury is what caused them to start losing games, as Randle’s absence further expanded the roles of players like Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo, who thrived as primary scoring options.
Fitting Randle back into the team while also adding Bridges might be challenging, primarily due to Randle’s offensive capabilities. Using him as a role-player on offense is a waste, but actively running possessions through him could also be an issue now with Brunson-ball leading the team to more success. Swapping him alongside a perennially-injured Mitchell Robinson for the reigning DPOY would be a massive deal.
Rudy Gobert averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks last season while marshaling the Wolves defense to the top of the NBA. Given the defensive identity that Thibodeau has already baked into the Knicks’ style of play, Gobert might be the absolute best complement to it. He’d stick to his role while making the interior unreachable, especially with perimeter defenders like Bridges, Anunoby, and Josh Hart locking players down on the wing.
Isaiah Hartenstein has left a hole at center that Gobert would more than fill. He’s limited offensively, but he’s been among the league leaders in dunks for the last five seasons while being a proven defensive asset in the regular season. The perimeter versatility in New York could shield him even further, making the Knicks the best defensive team in the NBA by far.
The Timberwolves Add Two Winning Players For One
Despite having the DPOY, the Timberwolves are the ones paying a price in this deal. It’s for a good reason, as Gobert is a 32-year-old center on a supermax contract. That contract is why the Wolves have been unable to make any major addition outside a rookie point guard this summer. This deal would not only break Gobert’s contract into two smaller and more manageable contracts, but it would also bring a different All-Star player to Minnesota.
Julius Randle averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season. He’s a throwback power forward but with the ability to do a little bit of everything on the court. He’s a more natural second option than Karl-Anthony Towns due to his on-ball versatility while also being a defensive presence. It’ll help KAT return to the center spot while Randle adds toughness and flair to the frontcourt.
Mitchell Robinson spent most of last season injured, averaging 5.6 points and 8.5 rebounds in 31 games. He’s a bombastic rim-protector who can be an elite lob threat. Mike Conley definitely would drag production out of Robinson, if he can be healthy. He’d be a great cyclical center option with KAT, as Robinson provides all the tools the Wolves need where KAT might struggle, especially on defense.
Adding two players for one is already good value for the Wolves, as they can feel free to alter the roster in the future without feeling like they are tied to an albatross contract like the one they have had with Gobert.
What Grade Should This Trade Be?
This deal serves the purposes of both teams, making them better equipped to compete in the next season. But if you dig into the packages, there are some noticeable pitfalls both teams will be hoping to avoid.
New York Knicks: B-
The Knicks won’t really do much with the sole pick swap and multiple second-round picks they receive unless the pick swap turns out to be a top pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. In terms of their short-term goals, Gobert would make them one of the most feared defenses the NBA has seen in years. However, they’d have to deal with his troubles when made to switch or create offense, the latter of which is something Randle could do.
Gobert marshaling a Thibs defense with Bridges and Anunoby as the primary perimeter defensive options would terrify opposing teams. Even if Gobert is made to switch, he has extremely capable help defenders who could still blow up possessions by playing help if required. If Thibodeau can master the strategic game this deal creates, the Knicks could be looking at a title run.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B+
The Timberwolves shouldn’t lament the cost of the picks they send out in this deal or worry about what they gave up for Gobert initially. While the Wolves’ defense won’t be best-in-the-NBA without Gobert, their offense gets beefed up considerably with Randle’s addition in the frontcourt. In addition, adding Robinson gives them another traditional shot-blocking center archetype to rely on when needed for defensive possessions.
Gobert transformed the Wolves’ defense, so it’ll be hard to say they will maintain that elite form without Gobert. But the losses on defense are made up with two excellent players joining the team while giving the team additional flexibility in terms of contracts.
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