Rob Dillingham's role with the Minnesota Timberwolves has been a point of contention among fans this season. The second-year guard has played 12.8 minutes, a slight increase from 10.5 minutes last season. This includes a four-game stretch without Anthony Edwards. Frankly, it doesn't seem like Dillingham's role is going to change much from his rookie season despite the Wolves having a clear point guard problem and the loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Undoubtedly, there are real concerns about giving Dillingham real minutes despite his offensive gifts. The main concern is that Dillingham is undersized and gets relentlessly hunted defensively. For a Wolves' defense that ranks 27th, that's simply not ideal. However, there's one solution to play Dillingham real minutes: play him alongside Rudy Gobert.
Gobert has been the saving grace of an awful Wolves defense. In fact, with Gobert on the court, the Timberwolves' defensive rating translates to the second-best in the league. For Dillingham to carve out a real role, his minutes must be paired with Rudy. This is an adjustment that head coach Chris Finch must make.
Chris Finch must play Dillingham with Gobert more often
So far, Dillingham has played 77 total minutes. However, per NBA.com, just 36 of these have come while playing alongside Gobert. Unsurprisingly, the metrics show that this is the best pairing for Dillingham. The duo of Dillingham and Gobert has a 101.4 defensive rating and a +13.1 net rating.
It's one of two Dillingham pairings that have a positive net rating. What's the other one, you might ask? Jaylen Clark. You mean a 175-pound guard needs to play next to high-impact defenders? Wow, that's shocking.
In all seriousness, though, I understand that not every second Dillingham is on court, he can play next to Rudy, especially because some of his minutes come in garbage time. Regardless, Dillingham must be paired with Gobert more often. Notably, Dillingham has played next to three players more often than Gobert. Those three players are Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels.
Perhaps the most unforgivable Dillingham mistake is that he has 32 minutes alongside Randle AND Reid. This duo has notoriously struggled on defense over the past two years, especially this year, and throwing Dillingham into the mix is inexplicable. The trio of Dillingham, Reid, and Randle has an abysmal -34 net rating and a historically awful 144.3 defensive rating.
Rob Dillingham with Rudy Gobert (36 minutes): 101.4 defensive rating +13.1 net rating
— Eamon Cassels (@EamonCassels) November 7, 2025
Dillingham with Julius Randle, and Naz Reid (32 minutes): 144.3 defensive rating -34 net rating
To maximize Dillingham’s minutes he must play next to Gobert pic.twitter.com/4Mxec2VNu7
Putting Dillingham next to these players is setting him up for failure defensively, and it's unacceptable that this combination nearly totals the Dillingham-Gobert pairing.
Listen, I've been a Chris Finch supporter, but the lineup combinations he's paired Dillingham next to are indefensible. Coaches, just like players, need time to figure things out, but if this trend continues, it will be a major cause for concern. In addition to pairing Dillingham with Gobert, the Wolves could look to give Joan Beringer some real minutes.
Playing Dillingham next to Gobert doesn't just cover up Dillingham's defensive weaknesses; it elevates Gobert's offense. While it's fair to question if Dillingham can organize an offense, he's a fantastic lob passer, which can help get Gobert more involved.
Dillingham might simply be too raw to make a real impact on a team with championship aspirations. Nevertheless, to maximize Dillingham's minutes and his chances of contributing, he must play alongside Gobert more frequently.