What makes this trade a success

[Q-is-here]

It's a success if we knock the Lakers out of the playoffs at least twice.

It's a success if we beat the New York Yankees in a playoff game.

[D-Mac [enjin:19736340]]

You make a deal like this and you had better make it to the NBA finals a couple times in Gobert's 4 years here. If we win a championship, I think Rosas probably deserves a statute more than Connelly. Rosas handed Connelly the team's best player, Edwards. He also gave Connelly three of the four players he traded to get Gobert. He gave Connelly his head coach, Finch. And he left Connelly those unprotected draft picks he just sent to a conference rival. What did Connelly do? He overpaid for Gorbert. If it leads to a title, then I'll praise him for this one move and anything else he does that clearly contributes to the title. But he doesn't deserve a statute given what he already had to work with.

Huh? Those three players that Rosas gave him were just salary filler in this trade lol... cmon man, you really think Utah cared at all who those three players were?

[D-Mac [enjin:19736340]]

Good thread. I'll say 1 title or 2 finals appearances... otherwise this trade is a failure. Honestly, if we don't get here in the next 4 years TC should probably be fired and never get a job again. Regardless of what happens over the next 4 years, this trade was stupid and irresponsible. Not just that, but it also comes off as lazy. I'm convinced there were better, less expensive ways to get a similar result. I'll enjoy watching an improved team next year (they better be), but I'm not impressed with TC at all

[Phenom]

I think 2 WCF appearances would be considered quite successful. 1 finals appearance would be amazing and winning it all is obviously wildly successful. Point is that it is now legitimately part of the conversation.

Looking at this from a different angle, Ant and Jaden make this trade a success. As much as people have made this trade be about Karl and helping him be his best self, I don't believe this trade is made if the organization didn't believe Ant and Jaden are ready or very nearly so.

The team has seen these 2 for two years now, see their work ethic, know their mindset. Connelly is very right to lean on many people to make his assessments. This trade signals to me that the team believes Ant is on the precipice of stardom and that Jaden ready to be a key cog in the wheel. We are getting Goberts peak time and it can't be a situation where Ant and McD need 3 more years.

I think this is as much about those 2 than Karl. I see a lot of conversations about why this team can't do this and can't match up with this but I seem to remember many here wishing the Wolves would make other teams adjust to them for a change.

This team is going to be a bear to score against over 48 minutes and a 7 game series. Gobert is not known for his offense but he is good for reliable offense in pinch which will be great when Ant, Karl, and Dlo get screwy and start chucking.

[Q-is-here]

Again, I'm perplexed at the "MUST MAKE FINALS" criteria to deem this a success. So if we didn't make this trade and didn't make the Finals over the next 5 years, wouldn't that invalidate the more organic strategy as well? If you say yes, then at least you are being consistent!

[TheFuture]

Good thread. I'll say 1 title or 2 finals appearances... otherwise this trade is a failure. Honestly, if we don't get here in the next 4 years TC should probably be fired and never get a job again. Regardless of what happens over the next 4 years, this trade was stupid and irresponsible. Not just that, but it also comes off as lazy. I'm convinced there were better, less expensive ways to get a similar result. I'll enjoy watching an improved team next year (they better be), but I'm not impressed with TC at all

That is where I stand also.

Didn't someone here also mention that TC's equity is based on regular season wins?

There is no way Gobert was worth that much ( is he as a player? possibly). That is why you negotiate. The guy wasn't even getting passed the ball on his own team. TC got bamboozled.

Weren't there some on this board who were talking about not going after a player because of their view on a vaccine and how that would align with KATs feelings? What did Gobert feel about that?

[TheFuture]

Again, I'm perplexed at the "MUST MAKE FINALS" criteria to deem this a success. So if we didn't make this trade and didn't make the Finals over the next 5 years, wouldn't that invalidate the more organic strategy as well? If you say yes, then at least you are being consistent!

Yes it would.

We actually were almost to the organically built mode.

Long recovery from the Joe Smith debacle. Khan debacle. Thibs debacle.

This had better work.

[Jester1534]

It's a success if we knock the Lakers out of the playoffs at least twice.

It's a success if we beat the New York Yankees in a playoff game.

I'll take one playoff victory at this point

[JasonIsDaMan [enjin:7981157]]

Well, I dunno, you say "far less" and I say pretty comparable for its time, 2007, when I think the league was less dynamic in terms of players and trades.

And I think Gobert is a likely hall of famer: Gobert has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award three times, tied for second-most in NBA history. He is a four-time All-NBA Team member, six-time All-Defensive First Team member, and three-time NBA All-Star. Gobert was also the NBA blocks leader in the 2016-17 season and the NBA rebounding leader in the 2021-22 season. Gobert was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2017, and the All-NBA Third Team in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

No, it was actually far less! This isn't that complicated.

[Q-is-here]

Again, I'm perplexed at the "MUST MAKE FINALS" criteria to deem this a success. So if we didn't make this trade and didn't make the Finals over the next 5 years, wouldn't that invalidate the more organic strategy as well? If you say yes, then at least you are being consistent!

Yes it would.

We actually were almost to the organically built mode.

Long recovery from the Joe Smith debacle. Khan debacle. Thibs debacle.

This had better work.

We still have 8 of our top 11 rotation players on the roster from last year AND we added Gobert. If something "doesn't work", it's largely going to be because of players that would have been on the roster anyway. You make it sound like we swapped out one star for another star or changed over practically the entire team to make this happen.