Jaden McDaniels Explains Rudy Gobert’s Importance for Timberwolves Defense

Much of the discourse surrounding the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason has been about the addition of LaMelo Ball and how he will fit with Anthony Edwards this season. Minnesota has emphasized bringing in more firepower on offense, and they believe this is the season they could get over the hump. 

While much of the attention is on the backcourt, one player who has gone under the radar when talking about the Timberwolves is center Rudy Gobert, who is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year. 

Gobert is 34 years old, and while his production has gone down over the years, he's still an important piece of this Minnesota defense. Guard Jaden McDaniels talked about Gobert's impact on the team, and he joked about how much teams attack Gobert. 

“You know, they send everybody to Rudy, even if they don’t need to, still send it to Rudy to make his job hard he does a great job though," McDaniels said. 

Last season, Rudy Gobert finished the year averaging 1.6 blocks per game, a bit shy of his career average of 2. This season, his shot-blocking ability will be more important than ever as Minnesota may be shorthanded in the frontcourt. 

During the offseason, the Timberwolves traded away two premier forwards: Naz Reid and Julius Randle. While they got better in the backcourt and gave Anthony Edwards a true second option beside him, things could still be tough for them on the interior. 

To fill that void at power forward, the front office added Jonathan Kuminga, who was previously with the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors. While Kuminga is a solid piece on offense and a serviceable defender, it leaves the Timberwolves' paint protection with a big question mark. 

In the Western Conference, the Timberwolves will have to play elite big men consistently during the regular season, and teams like the Denver Nuggets could pose real threats to them. 

Still, having a player like Rudy Gobert is a big asset. He can still defend at a high level, and he has teammates who can defend at a high level on the perimeter. The goal for Minnesota should be to consistently turn defense into offense. 

With LaMelo Ball, we may see a much faster pace from the Timberwolves this season, and it could lead to more fast-break opportunities. Gobert will continue to be the anchor of this defense, and it will be interesting to see how the team navigates the interior defense.