Who is Minnesota's most impactful player?

[NoDopeOnSundays]

The answer is Rudy Gobert, though this is partially a function of Minnesota's defense going from elite to bottom of the NBA when he leaves the court. Anthony Edwards is Minnesota's best player, but the team with Rudy off the court is extraordinarily drab to watch defensively.

Context:

Read on Twitter

142.2 without Gobert? Seriously? Sounds like my basketball team (geezers, all of us) at the local gym....

They don't have a backup center and need one just as badly as they need a PG. They're running the Reid / Randle frontcourt when Gobert is off the floor and they offer no rim protection at all.

[taikibansei]

The answer is Rudy Gobert, though this is partially a function of Minnesota's defense going from elite to bottom of the NBA when he leaves the court. Anthony Edwards is Minnesota's best player, but the team with Rudy off the court is extraordinarily drab to watch defensively.

Context:

Read on Twitter

142.2 without Gobert? Seriously? Sounds like my basketball team (geezers, all of us) at the local gym....

They don't have a backup center and need one just as badly as they need a PG. They're running the Reid / Randle frontcourt when Gobert is off the floor and they offer no rim protection at all.

Randle will never be known as a defensive stopper. However, we had worse defensive personnel surrounding Randle most of the time he was on the Knicks but never got as bad as 142.2. That's G-league level. I'm a bit stunned that it's four years after the Gobert acquisition and yet the Twolves still don't have a better answer for when he sits. The Twolves are still a very good team--don't get me wrong--but I feel they should be even better.

[Domejandro]

142.2 without Gobert? Seriously? Sounds like my basketball team (geezers, all of us) at the local gym....

They don't have a backup center and need one just as badly as they need a PG. They're running the Reid / Randle frontcourt when Gobert is off the floor and they offer no rim protection at all.

Randle will never be known as a defensive stopper. However, we had worse defensive personnel surrounding Randle most of the time he was on the Knicks but never got as bad as 142.2. That's G-league level. I'm a bit stunned that it's four years after the Gobert acquisition and yet the Twolves still don't have a better answer for when he sits. The Twolves are still a very good team--don't get me wrong--but I feel they should be even better.

Naz Reid is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA and cannot rebound, so every minute he shares with Julius Randle is a disaster.

[taikibansei]

They don't have a backup center and need one just as badly as they need a PG. They're running the Reid / Randle frontcourt when Gobert is off the floor and they offer no rim protection at all.

Randle will never be known as a defensive stopper. However, we had worse defensive personnel surrounding Randle most of the time he was on the Knicks but never got as bad as 142.2. That's G-league level. I'm a bit stunned that it's four years after the Gobert acquisition and yet the Twolves still don't have a better answer for when he sits. The Twolves are still a very good team--don't get me wrong--but I feel they should be even better.

Naz Reid is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA and cannot rebound, so every minute he shares with Julius Randle is a disaster.

That must suck. Sorry to hear this.

[dhsilv2]

They don't have a backup center and need one just as badly as they need a PG. They're running the Reid / Randle frontcourt when Gobert is off the floor and they offer no rim protection at all.

Randle will never be known as a defensive stopper. However, we had worse defensive personnel surrounding Randle most of the time he was on the Knicks but never got as bad as 142.2. That's G-league level. I'm a bit stunned that it's four years after the Gobert acquisition and yet the Twolves still don't have a better answer for when he sits. The Twolves are still a very good team--don't get me wrong--but I feel they should be even better.

Naz Reid is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA and cannot rebound, so every minute he shares with Julius Randle is a disaster.

Not that he's some defensive stand out. But most metrics look perfectly average on him. My spotty eye test on him as generally been good energy and good activity while not being a rim protector or rebounder. Where am I and RAPM type metrics so far off?

Also...I've always wanted to be a Randle fan but he's always come off as a terrible defender due to his limitations and focus.

[shrink]

Randle will never be known as a defensive stopper. However, we had worse defensive personnel surrounding Randle most of the time he was on the Knicks but never got as bad as 142.2. That's G-league level. I'm a bit stunned that it's four years after the Gobert acquisition and yet the Twolves still don't have a better answer for when he sits. The Twolves are still a very good team--don't get me wrong--but I feel they should be even better.

Naz Reid is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA and cannot rebound, so every minute he shares with Julius Randle is a disaster.

Not that he's some defensive stand out. But most metrics look perfectly average on him. My spotty eye test on him as generally been good energy and good activity while not being a rim protector or rebounder. Where am I and RAPM type metrics so far off?

Also...I've always wanted to be a Randle fan but he's always come off as a terrible defender due to his limitations and focus.

Naz’s numbers with Gobert last year were great
Randle’s numbers with Gobert last year were good
Naz’s numbers with Randle were horrific, and even worse this year. Naz is not a center.

I know Gobert erases a lot of mistakes, but the Rudy-Naz numbers wouldn’t be great if he was “worst in the league.”

But yeah, not good defensively and poor rebounder. Great scorer with size though

[dhsilv2]

Naz Reid is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA and cannot rebound, so every minute he shares with Julius Randle is a disaster.

Not that he's some defensive stand out. But most metrics look perfectly average on him. My spotty eye test on him as generally been good energy and good activity while not being a rim protector or rebounder. Where am I and RAPM type metrics so far off?

Also...I've always wanted to be a Randle fan but he's always come off as a terrible defender due to his limitations and focus.

Naz’s numbers with Gobert last year were great
Randle’s numbers with Gobert last year were good
Naz’s numbers with Randle were horrific, and even worse this year. Naz is not a center.

I know Gobert erases a lot of mistakes, but the Rudy-Naz numbers wouldn’t be great if he was “worst in the league.”

But yeah, not good defensively and poor rebounder. Great scorer with size though

who was the other big man they had a few years ago he'd come in with off the bench? I feel like they worked.

[shrink]

. I'm a bit stunned that it's four years after the Gobert acquisition and yet the Twolves still don't have a better answer for when he sits.

It was to find minutes for KAT and earlier Naz. SloMo and Jaden could also play PF, so big man minutes were at a premium.

But you’re right. After the KAT trade, they really needed a backup C.

[Domejandro]

Read on Twitter

Follow-up on the Rudy Gobert impact.

[Shaka_Zulu]

Rudy
Ant
Randle
Jaden
Mike
Donte
Naz



In that order.



Obviously Ant is our best player by huge margin, but our interior defense is traffic cone without Rudy. Randle is making case for himself with this near All NBA level form he is having.


And even if over the hill and old, I rate Mike over Naz and Donte so far, because he is just a great decision maker and calming effect on the team. In low BBIQ team, his presence is felt even with no stat line. Plus he is good sniper from 3.


Donte is hot and cold, and is turn over heavy when forced into this PG by committee role. Naz is a defensive sieve that dissapears from games on both sides alot. You never know what you will get with him lately.



Jaden has by far the biggiest potential to climb on this list, genuinely growing into a two way beast, and at times looks like our 2nd best player with this significant uptick in offensive prowess.

[shrink]

Jaylen Clark has been up there too, especially when he plays with Gobert.