Who is Minnesota's most impactful player?

[FrodoBaggins]

Ant? Julius? McDaniels? Rudy?

Gobert always seems to have the highest on-court & on-off net ratings (+/- per 100 poss) of the starters. He's +11.5 on-court and +24.8 on-off; all of the net value is coming from defense (108 on-court DRtg, 134.2 off-court DRtg, -26.2 net). He also led the starters/highest minute players in the 2024 RS, 2024 PS, and 2025 RS.

Is he the most impactful player on the team despite his pedestrian box-score stats? Is his defense, rebounding, and complimentary offense still providing good value relative to his salary?

[KokoKaizer]

They have a good team but it's clearly Ant

They'll go as far as Ant lead them

[bonita_the_frog]

Wolves wouldn't have made the Conference Finals in either of the last 2 years, without Mike Conley.

Highest IQ player in the NBA, and carrying them again this year.
There is nobody on the Wolves roster capable of filling Conley's shoes.

Whereas they can replace ANT's scoring, as we've seen recently.
Temporarily replace at least.

Conley's also their best 3-point shooter, though he doesn't need to shoot much.

[LarsV8]

Gobert has always been a superstar floor raiser. He will get you to a good record and the playoffs, but he won't separate you from the other good teams in the playoffs.

Ant is a ceiling raiser, but I generally feel he is overrated. I have him as all star, not superstar.

Realistic mistake I could see them make would be too think they need to move Gobert IMO.

[PistolPeteJR]

Wolves wouldn't have made the Conference Finals in either of the last 2 years, without Mike Conley.
Highest IQ player in the NBA, and carrying them again this year.
He's also their best 3-point shooter.

That's a first. Conley's great, I've been a fan of him since the early 10s with the Grit n' Grind Grizz. I've never heard anyone dub him the highest IQ player in the NBA.

[Sane]

Great example of stats causing confusion because people don't realize they are flawed ANYTIME they're without context.

[dhsilv2]

Gobert has always been a superstar floor raiser. He will get you to a good record and the playoffs, but he won't separate you from the other good teams in the playoffs.

Ant is a ceiling raiser, but I generally feel he is overrated. I have him as all star, not superstar.

Realistic mistake I could see them make would be too think they need to move Gobert IMO.

This. Gobert is the clear most impactful in the season. But you're not winning without a guy like ANT carrying the load in the playoffs. Rudy gives you the foundation to win from.

[life_saver]

It is clearly Ant. Gobert was probably more impactful in RS 2 seasons ago but it is currently Ant. Gobert is probably 2nd most important just because Wolves don't have an average C defensively when Gobert sits.

[Charlie Sollers]

Wolves wouldn't have made the Conference Finals in either of the last 2 years, without Mike Conley.

Highest IQ player in the NBA, and carrying them again this year.
There is nobody on the Wolves roster capable of filling Conley's shoes.

Whereas they can replace ANT's scoring, as we've seen recently.
Temporarily replace at least.

Conley's also their best 3-point shooter, though he doesn't need to shoot much.

Based on what?

[winforlose]

Ant is on offense, Rudy is on defense, Jaden is the X factor. When Jaden goes off and plays like a legit 2nd or 3rd option the Wolves ceiling as high as OKC. When Jaden plays poorly the wolves floor is play in.

[Mephariel]

Ant clearly.

[bonita_the_frog]

Wolves wouldn't have made the Conference Finals in either of the last 2 years, without Mike Conley.

Highest IQ player in the NBA, and carrying them again this year.
There is nobody on the Wolves roster capable of filling Conley's shoes.

Whereas they can replace ANT's scoring, as we've seen recently.
Temporarily replace at least.

Conley's also their best 3-point shooter, though he doesn't need to shoot much.

Based on what?

Based on the eye test (Wolves offense often looks unstable and error-prone without Conley).
2022-23 = downtown .420 ... 5.8 attempts ... 5.0 assists ... 1.2 turnovers
2023-24 = downtown .442 ... 5.3 attempts ... 5.9 assists ... 1.3 turnovers
2024-25 = downtown .410 ... 4.4 attempts ... 4.5 assists ... 1.1 turnovers
2025-26 = downtown .429 ... 3.0 attempts ... 4.0 assists ... 1.4 turnovers
And his last 4 games = 9.3 points, 5.8 assists, 1.3 turnovers, .480 field, .500 downtown

[Domejandro]

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

[bonita_the_frog]

ANT is impactful when he plays aggressively, but when he plays timidly (like today, returning early from injury) he just gets in the way (he's a ball-stopper) and stops the flow...
ANT -25
Conley -4

[Richard4444]

It's a tricky question because the Wolves don't have another PG or defensive Center besides Conley and Gobert, respectively (rookies don't count).

Ant is the best player. But they have other wings, such as Randle, who can replace more or less his production.

But they don't have a replacement for Conley and Gobert.

Randle or Naz defending the paint is an invitation to the opponent.

[dhsilv2]

Wolves wouldn't have made the Conference Finals in either of the last 2 years, without Mike Conley.

Highest IQ player in the NBA, and carrying them again this year.
There is nobody on the Wolves roster capable of filling Conley's shoes.

Whereas they can replace ANT's scoring, as we've seen recently.
Temporarily replace at least.

Conley's also their best 3-point shooter, though he doesn't need to shoot much.

Based on what?

Based on the eye test (Wolves offense often looks unstable and error-prone without Conley).
2022-23 = downtown .420 ... 5.8 attempts ... 5.0 assists ... 1.2 turnovers
2023-24 = downtown .442 ... 5.3 attempts ... 5.9 assists ... 1.3 turnovers
2024-25 = downtown .410 ... 4.4 attempts ... 4.5 assists ... 1.1 turnovers
2025-26 = downtown .429 ... 3.0 attempts ... 4.0 assists ... 1.4 turnovers
And his last 4 games = 9.3 points, 5.8 assists, 1.3 turnovers, .480 field, .500 downtown

If you wanted to say he's the highest IQ player on the Wolves. I don't think you'd get so much attention. But in the league? Really? How does that support him being the highest IQ guys in the league?

[bonita_the_frog]

Based on what?

Based on the eye test (Wolves offense often looks unstable and error-prone without Conley).
2022-23 = downtown .420 ... 5.8 attempts ... 5.0 assists ... 1.2 turnovers
2023-24 = downtown .442 ... 5.3 attempts ... 5.9 assists ... 1.3 turnovers
2024-25 = downtown .410 ... 4.4 attempts ... 4.5 assists ... 1.1 turnovers
2025-26 = downtown .429 ... 3.0 attempts ... 4.0 assists ... 1.4 turnovers
And his last 4 games = 9.3 points, 5.8 assists, 1.3 turnovers, .480 field, .500 downtown

If you wanted to say he's the highest IQ player on the Wolves. I don't think you'd get so much attention. But in the league? Really? How does that support him being the highest IQ guys in the league?

Like I said, based on the eye test, since there is no formula for basketball IQ.

[dhsilv2]

Based on the eye test (Wolves offense often looks unstable and error-prone without Conley).
2022-23 = downtown .420 ... 5.8 attempts ... 5.0 assists ... 1.2 turnovers
2023-24 = downtown .442 ... 5.3 attempts ... 5.9 assists ... 1.3 turnovers
2024-25 = downtown .410 ... 4.4 attempts ... 4.5 assists ... 1.1 turnovers
2025-26 = downtown .429 ... 3.0 attempts ... 4.0 assists ... 1.4 turnovers
And his last 4 games = 9.3 points, 5.8 assists, 1.3 turnovers, .480 field, .500 downtown

If you wanted to say he's the highest IQ player on the Wolves. I don't think you'd get so much attention. But in the league? Really? How does that support him being the highest IQ guys in the league?

Like I said, based on the eye test, since there is no formula for basketball IQ.

I mean fair enough, but saying that and then posting those stats doesn't make much of a case. Love Conley's game but putting him as the highest in the league is going to get push back. I for example just wouldn't call anyone out there for that.

[bonita_the_frog]

If you wanted to say he's the highest IQ player on the Wolves. I don't think you'd get so much attention. But in the league? Really? How does that support him being the highest IQ guys in the league?

Like I said, based on the eye test, since there is no formula for basketball IQ.

I mean fair enough, but saying that and then posting those stats doesn't make much of a case. Love Conley's game but putting him as the highest in the league is going to get push back. I for example just wouldn't call anyone out there for that.

I literally said "Based on the eye test (Wolves offense often looks unstable and error-prone without Conley)."
The stats are just to answer the thread question, regarding impact on the Wolves... he provides exactly what they need from a Point Guard.

[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....