FILE -Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert reacts after a Sacramento Kings basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. Rudy Gobert wins record-tying 4th Defensive Player of the Year award, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
Rudy Gobert, who tied an NBA record last season with his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award, is staying in Minnesota long term.
The Timberwolves and the 32-year-old center reportedly agreed to a three-year, $110 million extension on Tuesday ahead of the team’s opening game against the host Los Angeles Lakers.
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Per the report by ESPN, Gobert gave up a $46.6 million player option he held for the 2025-26 season.
READ: NBA fines Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert $75000 for gesture at refs
The extension reportedly features another player option year, for 2027-28, as well as a trade kicker (a bonus paid to the player in the event he is traded).
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When Gobert was chosen the NBA’s top defender last year, he matched the two other four-time winners of the honor, Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.
Gobert averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game last season. His career averages are 12.7 points, 11.8 boards and 2.1 blocks in 757 games (665 starts).
READ: Rudy Gobert wins fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year
He spent his first nine NBA seasons (2013-14 to 2021-22) with the Utah Jazz before he was dealt to Minnesota in July 2022.
Gobert has led the NBA in field-goal percentage three times. He also topped the league with a career-best average of 14.7 rebounds in 2021-22 after leading the NBA in blocks shots at 2.6 per game in 2016-17.
He might be asked to take on a bigger inside role this season after the Timberwolves dealt forward Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in the offseason, a trade that sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round draft pick to Minnesota. –Field Level Media
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