Timberwolves face familiar Rudy Gobert question after Celtics trade interest emerges

The Boston Celtics may not be done reshaping their roster, and the Minnesota Timberwolves could be part of it.

Jake Fischer reported Friday that Boston checked on Rudy Gobert before the February trade deadline. That matters more now because The Athletic’s Sam Amick also reported that Minnesota has a strong interest in Derrick White, which gives the rumor a cleaner path into the offseason.

On the surface, a Gobert-for-White swap sounds like a strange basketball trade. In reality, it starts with money.

Gobert is owed $36.5 million next season and holds a $28 million player option for 2027-28. White will make $30.3 million next season and $32.6 million the year after, with a player option for 2028-29. The salaries are close enough to build a framework if both teams decide they need a different kind of roster balance.

That is where Minnesota becomes worth watching.

Fischer reported that the Timberwolves are not actively shopping Gobert, but he also described them as open to exploring Anthony Edwards. That language matters because it suggests Minnesota is not locked into protecting every part of its current core, especially after another season that ended short of the NBA Finals.

White would give the Timberwolves a different kind of answer. He is a cleaner offensive fit next to Edwards, a better connective guard in the half-court, and the type of two-way decision-maker Minnesota has lacked when games slow down in May.

For Boston, Gobert would represent a very different bet. If the Celtics move deeper into a post-title reset, they could pivot away from perimeter depth and toward size, defense, and a more traditional frontcourt anchor next to Jayson Tatum.

That does not make a deal likely. It does explain why the noise is not going away.

If Boston seriously considers breaking up its championship core, Minnesota has one of the few rosters that can turn White from a trade rumor into a real negotiation.

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