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The Minnesota Timberwolves have decided to send home three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert after swinging at teammate Kyle Anderson. Gobert was escorted back to the locker room by a team official after the incident in the second quarter of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Gobert and Anderson had a heated argument on the bench as their teammates huddled between them. “Slow-Mo” reportedly told Gobert to block shots as the Pelicans have been killing the Timberwolves in the paint.
The Frenchman pushed back, telling Anderson to grab rebounds. Things got out of hand when the lanky forward responded:
“Shut the f**k up, b****.”
The two had to be separated by teammates and training staff before things totally went out of control. Kyle Anderson resumed playing while Rudy Gobert headed to the locker room.
At halftime, they reportedly went at each other again. Anderson was said to have been allegedly caught saying that he’d knock Gobert out.
Tim Connelly, the Minnesota Timberwolves' president of basketball operations, had this to say about Gobert’s status per The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski:
“We made the decision to send Rudy Gobert home after the incident in the second quarter. His behavior on the bench was unacceptable and we will handle the situation internally.”
If the Timberwolves suspend the three-time All-Star, Gobert could miss the play-in matchup on April 11 against LeBron James and the LA Lakers.
Minnesota’s starting center had this to say on social media a few hours after swinging at Kyle Anderson:
“Emotions got the best of me today. I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate.”
What's next for Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves?
The Minnesota Timberwolves traded five players, four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap to acquire Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. It was a trade that most fans thought was a slam dunk win for Danny Ainge, Utah's president of basketball operations.
The Timberwolves didn't mind the hefty price as they felt Gobert was the missing piece to push the team deep into the playoffs. Minnesota badly needed a rebounder and a shotblocker, two things the Frenchman has excelled at throughout his career.
Unfortunately, Gobert has not made an impact in rebounding. Last season, the Timberwolves were 16th in rebounding with 44.2 rebounds per game. They're now 23rd, averaging 41.9 RPG.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are fourth in blocked shots with 5.4 blocks per game compared to last year's 5.6 BPG, which ranked them third. Minnesota had a 13th-ranked defensive rating last season (111.0). The team is 10th with 113.1 DRTG, with Rudy Gobert anchoring the defense this season.
This version of the Timberwolves is not significantly better than the one that reached the playoffs last season. They may not even have Gobert for the team's biggest game of the season on April 11 if he's suspended.
Tim Connelly's decision to mortgage the Minnesota Timberwolves' future for Rudy Gobert may haunt the team in the long run.
You may also like to read: "Y’all kiss his a**" - Shocking audio tape shows Kyle Anderson fuming at Wolves staff after Rudy Gobert punches him
