Anthony Edwards may be Minnesota’s best player, but the Timberwolves’ most important one is Rudy Gobert.
That’s the separation that matters here. Edwards is the headliner, and LaMelo Ball is the co-star and second option. But when the conversation turns to which player Minnesota would struggle to replace the most if injury struck, Gobert sits at the top of the list.
The argument starts on defense, where Gobert has been a foundational piece since arriving in Minnesota. Last season, the Timberwolves were 11.8 points per 100 possessions better defensively with him on the floor, a number that landed in the 99th percentile per Cleaning the Glass.
Minnesota can hope Joan Beringer helps stabilize those non-Gobert minutes. He is a natural rim protector, unlike Julius Randle or Naz Reid.
But Beringer is a second-year player, so some growing pains are likely. And beyond him, the only other bench big is Trey Lyles, who is more naturally a power forward.
That leaves Minnesota in a tricky spot if Gobert is unavailable. The defense probably won’t hold up nearly as well without him, and the bench would be especially vulnerable without a true center. Even if Beringer turns out to be a strong backup - and the belief here is that he will - starting-level responsibility is a different challenge entirely.
Gobert’s presence also matters because of how the Timberwolves may need to use him. His rim protection helps cover for LaMelo on defense and gives Minnesota a safety net if it leans into smaller lineups, which is a real possibility given the lack of frontcourt depth.
His offensive involvement, too, is part of the equation. That’s a swing factor if the Wolves are going to hit their ceiling.
The bigger picture is simple: Minnesota’s roster looks solid across the board, but the frontcourt is where the risk lives. The Wolves cannot afford to lose Gobert for any meaningful stretch.
There is one reason that fear isn’t even louder: durability. The 34-year-old has been remarkably reliable over the course of his career. But that doesn’t make the possibility any less damaging.
Compare his role to the other spots on the roster, and the case gets even stronger. If Edwards misses time, Minnesota can lean more heavily on LaMelo as a number-one option, while Ayo Dosunmu is a capable starting guard. Ball brings the playmaking and creation the team needs, and Dosunmu could step into the lineup cleanly.
Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland would also see expanded roles if Ball or Edwards were sidelined. Both could absorb extra minutes and keep the regular-season machine moving.
The same general logic applies on the wing. Forward depth is not a strength, but the Wolves planned for that possibility during the offseason, and Jonathan Kuminga wasn’t signed until late August.
If Kuminga or Jaden McDaniels got hurt, the other could take on more. Dosunmu or Shannon could move into a starting role and spend more time at forward, and Jaylen Clark has enough strength to chip in there as well.
Minnesota could survive those kinds of injuries. It would not be ideal, but the team has answers.
At center, though, the margin for error disappears. That’s why Gobert matters more than anyone else on the roster.
In Other News...
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For Minnesota, the part worth watching is what happened once Dillingham was rerouted again. The former first-round pick barely had time to settle into a new stop before Charlotte moved on from him, underscoring how fast front offices can cycle through young talent when the paperwork and payroll get tight. It is a reminder that sometimes a promising name changes hands as part of a larger accounting exercise, even if the player development questions still hang in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Are Counting On Trey Lyles For Something Bigger This Season
The Timberwolves added Trey Lyles on a one-year veteran minimum deal, and the move says as much about what Minnesota wants around its younger roster as it does about the minutes Lyles might actually play. Now entering his 11th NBA season, Lyles brings the kind of experience teams often value when the regular season starts to grind, especially on a club leaning more heavily on youth than it did a year ago.
At media day, Lyles made it clear he understands the role in front of him is bigger than box-score production. Minnesota is counting on him for veteran steadiness and a strong presence in the room, with Rudy Gobert the only player on the roster older than him. For a team trying to keep its core grounded through a long season, that kind of addition can matter even when the rotation does not make space for it every night. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball Arrives In Minnesota With An Uncomfortable Off Court Cloud
LaMelo Balls first summer in Minnesota has come with the usual on-court adjustment period after his move from Charlotte, but there has also been an off-court story drawing attention as he gets ready for the upcoming season. The Timberwolves are welcoming a high-profile guard into the fold, and with that comes the kind of scrutiny that follows star players anywhere they land.
Balls partner, Ana Montana, was arrested in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on charges tied to controlled substances and has since been released on bond. The case is still ongoing, leaving an uncomfortable backdrop around a player whose arrival in Minnesota is supposed to be about basketball, chemistry and a fresh start. [Read more 🡒]