Rudy Gobert will never get enough credit for key element of his impact

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is one of the more divisive players in the league. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year is undeniably a gifted defender. However, many of Gobert's detractors point to his offensive skill set to argue that his impact isn't that significant.

What many of these arguments miss is that Gobert is the ultimate floor raiser. Undoubtedly, this has benefited the Wolves in the three seasons Gobert has been there. On a recent episode of the Dane Moore Podcast, Moore and Chris Hine discussed Gobert's ability to raise a team's floor and the benefits it has brought to the Wolves.

Rudy Gobert's elite defense raises the Timberwolves' floor

Gobert has a career winning percentage of 58.1 and a 62.3 winning percentage in the last decade. The Wolves were a fringe playoff team before trading for Gobert in 2022. In his first season, the Wolves snuck into the playoffs as an eight seed despite Karl-Anthony Towns playing in 29 games. However, the following season, Minnesota won 56 games while Gobert anchored the league's best defense en route to his fourth DPOY. The Wolves also made their second Western Conference finals in franchise history.

This past season, Gobert anchored the league's sixth-best defense. While many fairly criticized Gobert's lack of offense in the playoffs, his defense remained stellar. Furthermore, the Wolves wouldn't have been in the position to make such a deep run without Gobert. Throughout his career, Gobert has anchored the league’s best defense twice and five top-three defenses.

Being this dominant on one end of the court sets up teams for a high level of success. Simply put, it's hard not to be at least a top-six seed with this level of elite defense.

Gobert has averaged 2.1 blocks throughout his career, and his four DPOYs are tied for the most in NBA history. Considering Gobert's defensive dominance and importance to winning basketball, he has a clear Hall of Fame case. Overall, Gobert doesn't just deter shots at the rim at a historic level; this ability allows teams to reach another level.

The Wolves would be unwise to trade Gobert

Gobert has also transformed the Wolves' culture and helped teach young players winning habits. This benefited guys like Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, and Karl-Anthony Towns. As the Wolves develop more young players, including rookie big man Joan Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham, and Jaylen Clark, Gobert's presence will be vital.

After the Wolves drafted Beringer, some were wondering if a trade could be on the horizon for Gobert. Plus, the 33-year-old was involved in Kevin Durant rumors. However, the Wolves would be unwise to trade Gobert, given how his defensive impact is correlated with winning.

If the Wolves traded Gobert, they would be counting on Reid as their starting center. While Reid is a great player in his own right, the defensive drop-off would be significant. Perhaps Beringer could take over for Gobert eventually, but we are years away from this happening.

Ultimately, for now, Gobert remains a central part of the Wolves' success, and his impact on winning basketball is undeniable.