The Minnesota Timberwolves’ reported LaMelo Ball trade brings plenty of obvious upside, but one of the quieter benefits might be what it does for Rudy Gobert.
Ball’s arrival gives Minnesota a different kind of offensive engine, and that matters for Gobert. A high-level playmaker can make life easier for any center, but the fit here goes deeper than that. If the Wolves lean further into a perimeter-heavy look, Gobert could be positioned in a way that resembles the setup that helped him thrive with the Utah Jazz.
Chris Finch addressed that idea during Ball’s introductory press conference.
"Well, I do feel like we have a blueprint for what fits Rudy most comfortably, and when he had a lot of consistent offensive success in Utah, in more of smaller lineups, four around one. Rudy's done an incredible job over the last couple of years learning how to play off another big... I know he's excited as well and looking forward to establishing an early chemistry with LaMelo," Finch said.
Gobert’s offensive limitations are real. That’s part of the story.
But Minnesota’s issues last season went beyond that, too. The Wolves simply did not have enough playmaking or spacing around him, and that made his job harder than it needed to be.
That showed up in the numbers. Gobert finished last season at 10.9 points per game, his lowest scoring average since 2015-16.
His defense, though, stayed at an elite level. The problem was the fit.
Playing next to Julius Randle, another non-floor-spacing big, left Minnesota with less flexibility and made the offense more cramped around Gobert.
There’s a clearer example of what this can look like when things are built the right way. In the final season with Karl-Anthony Towns, Gobert averaged 14 points. Back in Utah, he posted a career-high 15.9 points in 2018-19, helped by a roster built around perimeter spacing.
Minnesota still has work to do. The Timberwolves need to add a power forward, so the roster isn’t finished yet.
But after the Randle-Gobert pairing didn’t work, it’s hard to imagine the front office ignoring floor spacing with the next move. If the Wolves do add a power forward who can stretch the floor, Gobert should have more room to operate and cleaner chances at the rim.
Ball’s passing should help too. He’s the kind of creator who can keep Gobert involved, and that alone could change the rhythm of Minnesota’s offense.
One of the biggest issues last season was how often Gobert drifted out of the action. Some of that came down to his own limitations and shaky hands, but a lack of top-tier playmaking played a major role as well.
Ball isn’t going to force the ball into difficult spots just to avoid a simple read. If the open man is there, he’ll find him. That should mean more lobs, more touches, and more consistent involvement for Gobert.
It may be too much to say Gobert will fully match the offensive peak he reached in Utah. But it’s fair to expect him to be far more active in Minnesota’s attack with Ball running the show and more shooting around him.
If that happens, the Timberwolves’ offense gets another layer. And Gobert gets a chance to look a lot more like the version that once made Utah’s attack hum.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Offseason Hinges On One Frontcourt Decision Fans Know Too Well
Minnesotas offseason picture is still being drawn around the frontcourt, with executive Gersson Rosas saying the team is exploring one or two free-agent additions to help at power forward. The need is obvious enough, and it comes as the Timberwolves continue to introduce new faces like LaMelo Ball and Josh Green while the rest of the roster remains very much in flux.
The bigger issue is timing, because Minnesota is still waiting on LeBron James before it can really move forward with the rest of its plans. If that path doesnt come together, the Wolves will have to pivot quickly to other options, with Kelly Olynyk among the names in the mix as the team tries to balance fit, cost and urgency in a frontcourt that still needs answers. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball Is Already Forcing A Visible Change For Terrence Shannon Jr
LaMelo Balls arrival in Minnesota is already creating a small but visible ripple before he even takes the floor. The guard is set to wear No. 1 with the Timberwolves next season, the same number he used in Charlotte, and that means Terrence Shannon Jr. will have to move on from the jersey he wore last season.
What Shannon settles on next is still the part worth watching. A return to No. 00 has been floated as a possibility, but Donte DiVincenzo already has No. 0, which complicates that path and leaves Shannon with a decision to make. Whether the number switch was handled smoothly between the two players is also unclear, but either way, Balls choice has already forced a change in the Wolves backcourt before camp even opens. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Came Shockingly Close To The Frontcourt Fix Fans Wanted
Bostons front office came tantalizingly close to solving a longtime frontcourt problem, at least in theory, before the market shifted and the opportunity slipped away. The Celtics had already moved longtime swingman Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia with draft picks, and in the same broader sweep they made a run at Rudy Gobert, hoping the Timberwolves would part with the veteran center as part of a larger package.
Minnesota, though, was never eager to budge. The Timberwolves have set a steep price on Gobert and have made it clear they are not in a rush to move him, especially after recently adding LaMelo Ball to the roster. For Boston, it leaves a familiar question hanging in the background: how close were they really to landing the kind of defensive anchor that can change the shape of a rotation? [Read more 🡒]