3 reasons why Timberwolves Rudy Gobert makes a huge positive impact

The Minnesota Timberwolves truly have nothing to prove this season. Or do they? Well, I suppose it depends on your perspective. A year ago, many thought that the acquisition of center Rudy Gobert would be a huge impact. And then, in the chaos of incessant injuries that followed, plus the lack of chemistry that followed with point guard D’Angelo Russell, it wasn’t.

For that matter, it might have been, if not for the fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves lost Karl-Anthony Towns for 53 games. With that injury, it’s a wonder that the Timberwolves managed to hold on for a berth in the NBA Playoffs at all.

Still, the hypothetical would have, could have, should have scenarios that play out about the 2022-23 NBA season may or may not have better outcomes for the Timberwolves team this season. While the team faced plenty of adversity, some good things happened as a result.

Winds of change are blowing

For starters, the challenges of last season compelled the Timberwolves’ front office back to the NBA Trade market, and the exchange of PG D’Angelo Russell for PG Mike Conley Jr., SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and three future second-round draft picks was clearly a move in the right direction.

More importantly, the Timberwolves organization learned that the future of the franchise is aligning with 22-year-old shooting guard Anthony Edwards. That changes the name of the game for the Timberwolves and the outcome of the 2023-24 NBA season. With a new NBA All-Star rising in the north, the Timberwolves roster takes an entirely new direction this year.

So this is a brand new season, and the trials and tribulations from last season are just water under the bridge. But rather than let those costly lessons drift away, the Timberwolves have taken plenty of steps to ensure that past mistakes are examined, and the lessons that were present were learned and employed in constructing a far better version of the Timberwolves roster. So who will benefit most?

Here are three reasons why we believe the greatest positive impact on the Timberwolves roster will be none other than veteran All-Star center Rudy Gobert:

Reason III: The return of the Stifle Tower

With the healthy return of teammate Karl-Anthony Towns as the starting power forward, center Rudy Gobert can focus on becoming a rim protector once more. Unlike last year, this season will not force Gobert to compensate for a huge loss of offensive firepower due to Towns’ injury.

While there are many impacts and challenges to the Minnesota Timberwolves 2022-23 season that are directly a result of the injury to starting power forward Karl-Anthony Towns, perhaps the one that every misses is the fact that KAT’s absence in the lineup forced Gobert into a different role for the Timberwolves roster.

Towns went down

With Towns present on the basketball court, Gobert had a focused role of defending the basket and blocking shots. In October 2022, he was locked into that familiar role, averaging 14.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Even his offense was respectable, as he averaged 14.1 points per game.

But when Towns fell to injury as November 2022 drew to a close, Gobert’s numbers began to erode. Without Towns on the basketball court, Gobert tried to get more involved on the offensive side of the basketball court, with mixed results. Unfortunately, that forced Gobert to be spread a bit thinly, and teams began to reroute their offense to take advantage of the opportunity.

With Towns back and starting once more, Gobert can return to the role that he is best at. That means that he can put his back to the basket, block shots, and haul in rebounds once more. Even if Gobert recovers this year to his career averages, he will improve on his blocks per game by 50 percent. That could make a huge difference.

Reason II: Reunited with a friendly and familiar face

Unlike last season, veteran center Rudy Gobert has a familiar, and friendly, point guard running the floor. The reunion of Mike Conley Jr. with Rudy Gobert on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster was a stroke of pure genius by Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly. Now, here’s why.

Before Conley arrived on the Timberwolves roster, Rudy Gobert had competed in 46 games. Over that period of time, Gobert failed to score 10 or more points for the Timberwolves 17 times. Worse yet, Gobert was held scoreless in nearly 19 minutes of play against the Denver Nuggets on February 7, 2023.

Hakuna Matata

But once veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. arrived on the Timberwolves roster, Rudy Gobert found a new lease on life on the offensive side of the basketball court. In 24 games, Gobert was held in check by failing to score 10 or more points for the Timberwolves just three times, and never fewer than six points in a game.

It makes a huge difference to play alongside a teammate who is authentically working with you to help optimize your production. That surge in Gobert’s ability to score at the end of the 2022-23 NBA season is why you should look for a better season from the big guy this season as well.

With greater ease to get into the flow of the game, Gobert will have a much better chance of not only scoring but rebounding as well. And with less frustration with his own point guard teammate, Gobert should do better on his spiking personal fouls from a year ago as well.

Reason I: Perimeter defense upgraded

One of the greatest challenges to the Timberwolves 2022-23 NBA season was the lack of perimeter shooting on offense, and the absence of challenging opposing shooters at the perimeter on defense. Thankfully, the Timberwolves’ perimeter defense has gotten stingier. But in the early part of the 2022-23 NBA season, opponents learned quickly that the best way to defeat the Wolves was to simply line up shooters at the arc and launch a salvo of three-point shots.

On the flip side, the lack of solid perimeter shooters on the Timberwolves roster after the injury to Karl-Anthony Towns stood out like a sore thumb.  And that combination of bad perimeter defense and bad perimeter shooting was a huge item on the Timberwolves’ punch list of things to correct early in the season.

The Timberwolves had SF Jaden McDaniels, SG Anthony Edwards, and even PF Kyle Anderson mustering a defensive effort. But with players like D’Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, and others struggling to defend opponents, the Timberwolves often found themselves beaten by sharpshooters.

Defend yourselves

That all changed with the addition of PG Mike Conley Jr. and SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker.  Not only did the Timberwolves add a pair of dependable three-point shooters, but both players were very comfortable at defending the perimeter. And that was just the beginning.

This year, the Timberwolves roster welcomes rookie F Leonard Miller, rookie SG Jaylen Clark, and veteran F Troy Brown Jr. as well as veteran G Shake Milton. All four additions excel at perimeter defense, perimeter shooting, or both.

With a stingier perimeter defense, opposing teams will be forced to attempt driving to the basket once more, and that sets up Rudy Gobert perfectly this season. Even as the ascension of Anthony Edwards as the team leader of the team has added a bit of grit and swag to the entire organization, the restoration of Rudy Gobert to his All-NBA Defense team this year will have a dramatically positive impact on the Minnesota Timberwolves as well.