Alex Rodriguez snuck in a baseball reference while discussing the Timberwolves’ blockbuster trade for Jazz center Rudy Gobert earlier this month.
“I think we’re in a good position and just being opportunistic,” said the former Yankee, who joined Minnesota’s ownership group last year. “We do have a window for four or five years, and we’re taking a swing at it.”
Rodriguez played coy when asked by the Star Tribune if he and Marc Lore — his business partner and fellow Timberwolves co-owner — would potentially go into the luxury tax.
“All those things will be examined, but I think at the moment our focus is to build a team that’s in position to compete for a championship and all those options will be weighed in the future,” said Rodriguez, who has been in Las Vegas scoping out the young talent at NBA Summer League.
“I mean, I come at it from a different perspective, being in baseball for about a quarter of a century, and now it’s interesting to take my experience from Major League Baseball, from broadcasting and now being here as an owner,” Rodriguez told The Associated Press ahead of Minnesota’s Summer League game against Milwaukee. “It’s been great. The NBA has welcomed me with open arms.”
The news of the Timberwolves-Jazz mega trade — which involved six players and multiple draft picks — became public on July 1, with Minnesota confirming the acquisition of Gobert five days later.
Utah traded the three-time Defensive Player of the Year to the Timberwolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (the No. 22 pick in this year’s draft), and Jarred Vanderbilt — along with first-round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, as well as a 2026 pick-swap.
“It’s all about the fans in Minnesota. I think they deserve a winner,” Rodriguez said. “They deserve consistency, they deserve continuity. And I think across the board, we’ve seen that. … If you’re a fan, there’s a lot to cheer for. There’s a lot to be excited about. And I think when you can forecast predictability, it’s good for the energy of the town.”
Minnesota now has one of the best defenders in the league in Gobert, who was named a First Team All-Defensive selection for six straight seasons. He will team up with Karl-Anthony Towns, a three-time NBA All-Star, whom the Timberwolves selected first overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, to form a dynamic front court in Minnesota.
Towns secured a four-year, $224 million supermax extension this offseason, while Gobert is in the second year of his five-year, $205 million deal.
Gobert’s departure in Utah marked the end of an All-Star pairing with Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell — who may soon be on the move.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Knicks have engaged in talks with the Jazz regarding Mitchell, amid recent rumors Utah was listening to offers for the three-time All-Star.
The Knicks own 11 first-round picks over the next seven years, and the Jazz are reportedly interested in accumulating draft picks.
