Glen Taylor Wasn’t On Board with Rudy Gobert Trade

Amidst turmoil within the Minnesota Timberwolves organization, Glen Taylor’s announcement that the team is no longer for sale has infuriated Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore. They are publicly confronting Taylor to express their discontent and even revealing previously unknown golden nuggets about the Rudy Gobert trade.

The latest bit came from Rodriguez and Lore’s appearance on Wolves insider Dane Moore’s podcast, sharing some fascinating insights. One of the biggest takeaways was learning that Glen Taylor didn’t approve of trading for Rudy Gobert and even warned them against it. They also mentioned that trying to bring Tim Connelly to Minnesota was a waste of time.

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— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) March 30, 2024

“Another part of a handshake agreement, there has to be trust in any partnership. You’re not gonna put everything in a contract, there has to be trust, and we believe trust is a very important element in any partnership. He did not agree with the Rudy trade. He warned us against it. He did not wanna do that deal. He let us do it, so credit to him. He didn’t get in our way. The big one was Tim Connelly, his quote to Marc and I was, “Why are you wasting your time?” People like Tim Connelly do not come here. He let us take a crack at it. Marc and I went to work on it. Three months later, we have a press conference at our practice facility, so to take all the credit now is not only disingenuous, it’s a plain lie, and I’m shocked by how comfortable he is making these statements.“

Alex Rodriguez

On July 6th, 2022, the Timberwolves made waves in the NBA by acquiring Rudy Gobert, trading away five players, four first-round picks, and a pick swap in exchange. Doubts arose about the trade’s success, and after a disappointing first season with Gobert, the team faced a great amount of ridicule for their decision.

However, this season has unfolded much differently, with the Timberwolves currently leading the Western Conference, with only a few games remaining before the playoffs begin. As others around the league have noted, the Wolves finally look like a championship contender, and Gobert’s presence, plus Connelly’s additions are a major reason why.

Another interesting point raised by Alex Rodriguez was Glen Taylor’s skepticism about pursuing someone like Tim Connelly, considering it a futile endeavor. Yet, this decision has worked out very well for the Timberwolves, as Connelly has proven to be highly effective in managing the team’s roster, and finding low-level players who can thrive under Chris Finch.

The future ownership of the Timberwolves remains uncertain. Whether Rodriguez and Lore will eventually take ownership is unclear, and the process could be lengthy. For now, like you, we’re just enjoying the ride.

Related: Lore & A-Rod: ‘We’re going to own the Timberwolves, it’s just a matter of time’