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The Minnesota Timberwolves had just concluded the first official practice of their 2026-27 NBA season late last month when their center, Rudy Gobert, was asked how it felt to be 34 while a dozen of the other players on the roster are no older than 26.
“It is interesting,” he replied with a bemused smile, creasing the new-look visage of his shaved head and dark goatee that had his coach, Chris Finch, joking that he looked like a Russian gangster.
“But I feel wise and fresh at the same time. It is a good place to be.”
Since that time, the Wolves have played four of their six preseason contests and are just a week away from the start of the regular season. In that time, it’s become increasingly obvious that the sustained health and savvy of Gobert is likely to be the most important factor in how the new-look Timberwolves fare this season.
Much of the attention has naturally gravitated toward...
