Since trading for Rudy Gobert, the Minnesota Timberwolves' identity has been defense. Now, with LaMelo Ball in the mix and the team subsequently leaning into a more perimeter-centric identity, it's fair to wonder if they can remain a high-level defense. To me, the answer is an emphatic yes.
Look, the Wolves won't be the No. 1 defense as they were in 2023-24. However, they can absolutely remain a top-10 defense, as they have been throughout the Gobert era.
Being top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating is a realistic goal for the Timberwolves. Oftentimes, this two-way balance is the mark of a title contender. There shouldn't be any concern about the offensive side of the ball, and upon closer investigation, the defense is better than you may expect.
Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels give the Timberwolves a high defensive floor
My belief in the Timberwolves' defense comes down to a few factors. Firstly, Gobert has proven throughout his career to be a walking top-10 defense. His rim protection is historically elite, and it allows him to anchor a defense. Despite Gobert's age, there are no signs of him slowing down, and as long as he plays 60-plus games, Minnesota's defensive floor is high.
The other player who is mainly responsible for the Timberwolves' defensive success is Jaden McDaniels. He is a 6-foot-9 point-of-attack stopper who can take opposing stars out of games. With McDaniels and Gobert, the Wolves have an elite rim protector and POA stopper, which are the two most important aspects of defensive success.
Likewise, only the San Antonio Spurs can match this combination of brilliance at the POA and around the rim. Between McDaniels and Gobert alone, the Wolves should be able to have a good defense despite the fair concerns about Ball.
The Timberwolves' defense might have improved this offseason
Plus, it's not like the Timberwolves have a bad defensive team outside of McDaniels and Gobert. Jonathan Kuminga is a quality stopper against opposing fours. Anthony Edwards can lock down opposing guards if needed, and LaMelo's presence on offense should give him more energy on defense. Ayo Dosunmu is a pesky perimeter defender. Joan Beringer could help solve the Wolves' non-Gobert minutes, which have long been a pitfall for this group. If you want to go deep into the bench, Jaylen Clark is a tenacious on-ball defender.
I want to focus on Kuminga and how he's essentially replacing Julius Randle and Naz Reid. On the surface level, this could be concerning, and the Wolves' frontcourt took a hit depth-wise. Nevertheless, Kuminga is straight-up a better defender than both Randle and Reid.
Kuminga doesn't have quite the same level of strength as Randle, but he's more agile. In turn, he is better on the ball and switching onto the perimeter. And while Kuminga isn't perfect off the ball, he is more of a defensive playmaker. Notably, per Databallr, Kuminga ranked in the 73rd percentile for deflections and 43rd percentile for blocks per 100 possessions, while Randle ranked in the 52nd and 8th percentiles for these stats.
If Kuminga can grow as a defensive playmaker and remain more engaged off the ball, he could be a special defender.
Reid is a high-effort defender, but he's not twitchy or an on-ball stopper. He graded out well as a defensive playmaker last season, but he could be back-cut off the ball and doesn't hold up too well on the ball. According to B-Ball Index, Kuminga impressively ranked in the 86th percentile for perimeter isolation, while Reid ranked in the 29th percentile.
Furthermore, Reid and Randle both played out of position at times, which hurt them in the non-Rudy minutes. If Beringer is ready to contribute this season, the Wolves will have 48 minutes of good rim protection.
All of this is to say there's a path for the Timberwolves to not only remain a good defense but also level up this season.
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