The Timberwolves’ biggest question might not be whether Rudy Gobert can still play at a high level. It’s whether they’re leaning on him too hard.
Gobert is still a future Hall of Famer, still a top-10-level center and still a top-three-level defender. At 34, he has already shown he can hold off decline, and his commitment to taking care of his body is well known.
But the concern here isn’t about whether he’s slipping. It’s about the load Minnesota is putting on him right now.
Right now, Gobert is one of only three rotational frontcourt players on the roster. That alone is a problem.
If everything goes right, he can carry it. If something goes wrong, especially if he gets hurt, the Wolves could be in real trouble.
There is reason to think Gobert could get a boost on offense. The team’s spacing around him and LaMelo Ball’s playmaking should help. But the same move that could make his life easier on one end may make it tougher on the other, because a perimeter-heavy identity can leave more work for him defensively.
That’s where the warning signs start to pile up. Minnesota has already talked about some unconventional internal answers for its power forward spot, including using Terrence Shannon Jr. or Josh Green at the four.
That kind of setup could create problems for Gobert. Even if Jaden McDaniels is the main option there, he may have to grow into a bigger role, and that could cost the Wolves some point-of-attack defense.
If that happens, more pressure lands on Gobert.
And that’s a lot to ask from any player, even one with Gobert’s resume.
The comparison to his Utah Jazz days is hard to ignore. In the playoffs, his defense often took a step back, and part of that was because he had to cover so much ground behind shaky perimeter defense.
The difference now is that he never had a defender at McDaniels’ level in Utah. The Wolves could also still add a physical starting-level forward later this offseason or at the deadline, which would help ease the strain.
If they don’t, Gobert may end up carrying more defensive responsibility than anyone else in the league.
The injury angle makes the depth issue even more uncomfortable. Second-year big man Joan Beringer looks ready for a breakout season, and he should be a useful backup.
If he had to start for a short stretch, that could work, especially if he’s taken a step forward from last year. But Minnesota does not have a true third center, and with the need at forward so obvious, that probably won’t change.
Trey Lyles was out of the NBA last year and is naturally a power forward, though he’d likely have to slide to center if Gobert missed time. Two-way big man Rocco Zikarsky has upside, but he’s still very much a work in progress.
So the bottom line is simple: unless the Timberwolves make a meaningful roster addition, they are going to depend heavily on Gobert. And while that isn’t his fault, it does come with real risk.
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That is where the split starts. Some fans see a well-rounded guard whose game resembles the kind of connective talent championship teams lean on, while others look at the price tag and wonder whether Minnesota is paying for an ideal role player at a premium rate. He is projected to sit as the 104th highest-paid player in the league, which only adds to the argument that the Wolves may have found a bargain if the fit works the way they believe it can. [Read more 🡒]