Rudy Gobert is going to be more important to the Minnesota Timberwolves than ever next season as the team, while they've massively upgraded their offense, find themselves in need of size and defensive presence, and that's exactly where Gobert, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, comes in. 

But as much as the Timberwolves need Gobert to step up for them, the Timberwolves need to step up for Gobert as well, or they risk losing him in free agency. 

Gobert's contract is up after this season and he was apparently named one of the "five most interesting potential 2027 free agents" in a recent report from Yahoo Sports, and that distinction alone introduces a worrying future should the Timberwolves continue to come up short in the playoffs. 

The article describes a scenario where, if Minnesota continues to miss out on the NBA Finals, even with this newly-built roster, that Gobert, who would turn 35 during the summer of 2027, could look elsewhere to try and win at least one championship before his career comes to a close. 

This would be a bad situation for the Timberwolves who depend on Gobert not only for his aforementioned defense, but also for his steady veteran presence and leadership. 

But the idea of Gobert leaving the Timberwolves is also an unlikely scenario. The Timberwolves have Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu all under contract through 2029 and securing Gobert through the late years of his career shouldn't be an issue. 

While it's understandable that Gobert would want to go somewhere to win, the Timberwolves have the making of that exact team and based on Gobert has shown to the world, he's feeling content with Minnesota. 

Both Edwards and Ball travelled to France to train with Gobert, which should be a surefire indicator of the connectivity that the three share. 

Of course, the Timberwolves could avoid all of the uncertainty in the first place by extending Gobert once the season begins and locking him down for sure while the exciting young team around him finds it's bearings. 

That would be the wisest move for the Timberwolves to make if they're truly committed to retaining their star center. Gobert is currently making $36 million annually and would likely warrant that same annual figure, or possibly even less given his age, in a new extension, and that's a figure that the Timberwolves could afford down the line.

Keeping such a prolific defender who also happens to be one of the cores of your franchise is almost a smart move and the Timberwolves don't want to take any chances, they could make the smart move themselves, before someone does.