Don t throw watermelons and pick up sesame seeds! If the Timberwolves want to win Durant, they must not give up a defensive core

Time went back to last year's offseason, when the Timberwolves traded the inside core Towns who had been playing for the team for many years to the Knicks for Randall. Although the outside world was not optimistic about them at one time, the team still entered the Western Conference Finals this year. However, after falling at the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the Timberwolves management thought of "sickness and indifference", intending to sell another main insider Gobert of the team again to chase Durant.

Recently, the American reporter Ary reported that the Timberwolves are chasing Durant with all their might, and Gobert is likely to be sent to Phoenix. It is undeniable that Durant's influence is indeed great, but as the Timberwolves' defensive core, if he leaves, even if Durant and Edwards form a "dual core", the team wants to make a fortune in the West by just offense, and the prospects are not optimistic. After all, Durant's current team, the Suns, is a lesson from the past. The team has three stars with good scoring abilities, Bill, Booker, and Durant. But what's the result? This year, he even missed the play-off stage. If the Timberwolves really gave up Gobert as the defensive center because of chasing Durant, they were indeed "losing watermelons and picking up sesame seeds."

Although the Timberwolves now have three inside players, Randall, Reed and Gobert, the only one who can play center is Gobert, and he is also the guarantee of Finch's defensive system. In fact, the key is not how caring Huazi is. The most critical factor is that Gobert is on the defensive end. When Randall is comparable to Towns on the offensive end, the team relies on the lineup last season to hit the stage of the Western Conference Finals again. Whether it is the regular season or the playoffs, the Timberwolves' defensive efficiency this season is at the forefront of the league (sixth in the league in the regular season and fourth in the league in the playoffs). If we really want to force the dual-core combination of Durant and Huazi and let Gobert go, the Timberwolves will not be able to hit the finals next season, and whether they can enter the Western Conference Finals again will have a big question mark.

For the Timberwolves, Durant can chase, but the premise is that Gobert cannot be sent away. Even if Phoenix asks for Mike Daniels, the team is actually considering letting go. The premise for Durant and Huazi to fully open fire is that there is someone to guarantee the defense end. If Gobert leaves, the team wants to rely on Reed or Randall to carry the heavy burden on the defensive end, which is indeed a bit of a dream.

Not long ago, the US media basketball forever simulated a four-party deal involving four teams, including the Timberwolves, the Suns, the Magic and the Nets. The Timberwolves got Durant, but they had to send Randall, Conley, Shannon Jr. and Divinchenzo. Although many main players left, it is acceptable for the Timberwolves. After all, Conley is old and Shannon Jr. didn't play much, which is equivalent to losing the two main players of Divinchenzo and Randall. If the team can really win Durant as they wish without paying Gobert and McDan, then the Timberwolves will still be a dark horse that cannot be underestimated next season.