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Rudy Gobert insists the Minnesota Timberwolves will not be happy “just to be a good team”, having left the Utah Jazz in pursuit of an NBA title.
The Timberwolves gave up a huge haul – including three unprotected future first-round draft picks – to take Gobert from the Jazz.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year now joins two former first overall selections in Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards.
Gobert “fits perfectly” in the Minnesota lineup, coach Chris Finch says, and the incoming center has lofty aspirations.
Although the Timberwolves have not won a playoff series since 2004, making the postseason only twice in that time, Gobert is looking to take his new team all the way.
“The goal is to win a championship,” Gobert said. “I came here for that.
“I didn’t come here just to be a good team; I came here to try to take this team to the Finals and accomplish that.”
The Frenchman suggested such aims were no longer realistic with the Jazz, where he spent the first nine seasons of his NBA career.
Utah were a far more regular playoff outfit, reaching the postseason in six straight years, but they never got beyond the second round and were facing an offseason of change even before Gobert’s departure, with coach Quinn Snyder quitting.
“The window for winning is not always big,” Gobert explained. “For us in Utah, that’s kind of what happened.
“I think the organisation felt like that. We had maybe passed that window that we had over the last few years.
“I think it’s still going to be a very competitive team. It just felt like with all the assets that they could get for me, it was better for them to go that way.”
