It's fair to say that the Minnesota Timberwolves have shifted a bit away from their defensive identity by sacrificing their frontcourt size to add LaMelo Ball. However, I don't think it's fair to say that they'll take a major step back on defense.
Sure, they don't have stellar frontcourt size, but Jonathan Kuminga is a capable defender against forwards. In fact, I'd argue he's a better defender than Julius Randle.
The bigger picture, though, is that with Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, the Timberwolves have an elite rim protector and point-of-attack stopper, which gives the Wolves a high defensive floor.
The Timberwolves will be a high-level defense thanks to Gobert and McDaniels
Gobert is a walking top-10 defense, and there's no reason to suggest that this trend will change this season.
We've seen Gobert uplift smaller Utah Jazz teams in the past. Considering the Wolves still have plus (but not elite) size, plenty of athleticism, and a stellar POA defender, their defense should still be stout. So while the Wolves might not be able to replicate their 2023-24 defensive heights, this unit should still be ferocious, largely thanks to Gobert and McDaniels.
I don't want to oversimplify things because the Wolves actually have a lot of positive defenders (more on that later). Regardless, having a historically great rim protector and one of the league's best on-ball stoppers is what's at the core of their defensive success.
Gobert deters shots at the rim and changes how teams play. All the same, he is a fantastic one-on-one defender who can contain the game's best players. Just ask three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
McDaniels can shut down opposing guards and forwards alike due to his rare blend of speed, length, and size. Impressively, McDaniels ranks in the 98th percentile for perimeter isolation defense per Basketball Index. Plus, McDaniels is a disruptive defensive playmaker and secondary rim protector. Everyone should know that Gobert is a top-five defender in the league, but McDaniels is a top-10 defender in my eyes.
It's this combination of Gobert and McDaniels that has made the Wolves a top-10 defense since Gobert's arrival.
While this duo gives the Wolves a high floor, it's the surrounding talent that's the swing factor between them being pretty good and elite.
Ball's presence could help unlock Anthony Edwards' two-way upside. But can he remain consistently engaged off the ball?
Ayo Dosunmu is a feisty perimeter defender. Can he take on tough matchups, though? As noted earlier, Kuminga is a physical defender against forwards. His off-ball engagement needs to improve, though. Joan Beringer could stabilize the non-Gobert minutes, which has long been a pitfall of the team. Still, there could be some growing pains with the second-year big man.
Outside of Ball and Bones Hyland (who might be out of the rotation), the Wolves simply don't play many negative defenders. As established, though, there are some valid questions about just how impactful Edwards, Ayo, Kuminga, and Beringer will be. If all things go right, though, these players could give the Wolves a very high defensive ceiling.
One thing is for sure, though: as long as Gobert and McDaniels stay healthy, this will be a damn good defense.
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