LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rudy Gobert had a lot on his mind as he and his agent discussed a contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the days leading up to the season opener.

He was entering what could be the final season of his contract. He had a player option for nearly $47 million for 2025-26. In a moment of unusual candor for a player of his caliber, Gobert said he knew that number would be untenable if he were to stay in Minnesota and have a competitive team to chase that elusive title.

After a difficult first season in Minnesota, he was embraced by the fan base and always enjoyed the full support of the organization, no small feat for a player who seems to regularly face ridicule throughout the league. His son was born in Minnesota last spring and he believes he has a real chance to win a championship with this team. Gobert didn't want to leave, but he knew staying would mean a significant pay cut.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, teams and players will have to make tougher decisions regarding contract terms. The penalties are now much more than just a fat luxury tax bill. Teams above the dreaded second frontcourt, like the Timberwolves do, have to build their rosters with one hand tied behind their backs. You cannot combine players in trades to equalize salaries. They have almost no flexibility when it comes to the money they send out and the money they receive in a trade. Stay above the frontcourt long enough and a first-round pick from seven years later will be frozen at the bottom of the first round.

Gobert turned 32 this summer. He's only played for two teams and at this point in his career isn't interested in jumping through puddles in pursuit of a championship, especially when he could take steps to increase Minnesota's chances of breaking out as that team. If he were to exercise his player option, he would maximize his winnings. But it would also hurt the Wolves' chances of re-signing teammates like Naz Reid, Julius Randle and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

So Gobert and his agent Bouna Ndiaye looked for what the center called a “win-win situation.”

“My contract for next year was really big,” Gobert said. “Being able to allow the team to keep our guys was a win for the Timberwolves. But being able to keep me for a longer period of time was great for both of us.”

For a time in the days leading up to the opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, as the league continued to expand, it seemed as if the Wolves and Gobert would not find common ground. Gobert wanted a four-year deal, but the Wolves found it difficult to make that happen on a team that also had several other contracts on its books to deal with.

Gobert thought about what the later years of his career would look like. He has great respect for coach Chris Finch, who has supported him since his arrival. He believes in Anthony Edwards as the megawatt star who can lead a title team. He knows that Jaden McDaniels and Alexander-Walker will provide him with help on the perimeter that he's never had before. He knows Mike Conley understands him better than any other point guard in the league.

So on Tuesday, just moments before the Wolves faced the Lakers, Gobert agreed to a new three-year, $110 million contract extension that includes a third-year player option. The deal eliminates the $47 million player option and replaces it with a longer contract with a significantly lower annual number.

“It's never been about money, but at this point in my career it's even more about being where I feel at home and where I can win championships,” Gobert said. “These guys, from the players to the coaches to the organization, embraced me and believed in me and gave me the opportunity to be the best version of myself on and off the field and also allow me to grow.”

Gobert had the luxury of accepting such a deal because he has earned over $210 million over the last seven years, an incredible sum for a person who came from a poor background in France, was drafted 27th overall, and ended his career in The developmental league began before becoming a multiple All-Star. He knows there are some of his teammates who haven't shot the real big payday yet, and this extension could help them achieve just that.

“Every time I sign a contract, I try to leave something for the team,” Gobert said. “(I) can recognize that I am grateful that I can earn what I deserve where I come from. It is an amazing blessing. At the same time, we can’t be too greedy and leave something on the table for our competitiveness as a team.”

Gobert's decision wasn't lost on his teammates. From the moment he arrived from Utah in a hotly debated trade, Gobert preached the importance of putting wins above all else. Now he does it too.

“For him to think about the next person is great,” said Reid, who has a player option for next season as part of the three-year contract he signed in 2023. “That's really selfless.” I know a lot of people wouldn't do that, but he would. He's showing it now. I'm happy that he's thinking of me and this team. That means he wants to win.”

Now that his contract is complete, Gobert can fully concentrate on the pitch. He was a key reason the Timberwolves had the league's No. 1 defense last season and reached the Western Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history.

But that was all last season. The Wolves were defeated by Dallas in the conference finals and are now working on adding two new faces – Randle and Donte DiVincenzo – on the fly after trading Karl-Anthony Towns to New York just before training camp.

Their 110-103 loss to the Lakers on opening night shows how much work still needs to be done on that front.

No one seemed comfortable on either end of the court, and Anthony Davis torched the Minnesota frontcourt in a daunting performance for a Wolves team with such high expectations.

“Not a very good representation of ourselves,” Finch said. “I thought we were soft. I sometimes thought we were selfish. We didn’t implement a lot of the things we talked about.”

The Wolves play in Sacramento on Thursday night before returning to Minnesota for their home opener against Toronto on Saturday.

“The goal is still the same whether we had the deal or not,” Gobert said. “The goal is to win the championship. Whatever it takes to continue to build and continue to do great things for the community.”

(Photo by Rudy Gobert: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)