Rudy Gobert might just be headed for the parquet courts.
The Boston Celtics have shown interest in potentially acquiring the Minnesota Timberwolves big man Gobert via trade, per a report this weekend by veteran NBA writer Jake Fischer. According to Fischer, the Celtics have inquired about Gobert’s status.
Meanwhile, Minnesota is said to be “exploratory and open-minded” about the possibility of trading away Gobert. You can read Fischer’s full report on the situation here.
Gobert, the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, has been a mainstay on the Timberwolves since arriving in 2022. Also a three-time All-Star, Gobert continues to be arguably the NBA’s single most impactful rim protector and interior defender and is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.
But Gobert turns 34 years old later this month, and the Timberwolves (who fell in the second round of this year’s playoffs) likely need to shake things up in order to compete with the likes of Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the Western Conference for the next several years to come. On top of that, Gobert is entering his final guaranteed year under contract next season at $36.5 million (with a $38 million player option in 2027-28 too).
As for the Celtics, they are currently weak in the frontcourt with Nikola Vucevic hitting free agency and Neemias Queta (who admittedly had a strong 2025-26 campaign) still a fairly one-dimensional player. If Boston decides to go after Gobert, there could be at least one player whom Minnesota would like from them from both fit and salary standpoints.
