It’s only been seven games, but the 5-2 Timberwolves have to be encouraged by what they’ve seen from Rudy Gobert, who has looked much more like the player who earned six straight All-Defensive First Team appearances and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2016-22, as opposed to the player who didn’t receive a single vote for an All-Defensive squad last season.
In fact, Gobert believes he’s playing better than he ever has, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic details.
“Not even my old self. I feel better than I’ve ever felt because I feel like I’m stronger than I’ve been,” Gobert said earlier this season. “And I just see the experience that I have now, and you add that to the rest of the abilities that I have, I think that’s the best that I’ve been.”
The Wolves have the league’s top defense thus far in 2023/24 and Gobert has been a major reason why, according to Krawczynski, who writes that the 7’1″ big man has been noticeably more mobile and athletic than he was in ’22/23. Head coach Chris Finch met with Gobert over the summer to stress that the team needed him to be more flexible defensively, and he has been pleased with the 31-year-old’s level of buy-in.
“Being able to keep your mind open and being able to adapt, I think this is the strength of the best teams in the world,” Gobert said, per Krawczynski. “And I feel like right now we are creating our identity. And soon enough, I think people are gonna have to adapt to us and not the opposite.”
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- Speaking to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), Gobert says Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has a chance to be an All-Defensive team member in the future. “The things he can do are incredible,” Gobert said. “He has all the tools to be an All-Defensive type of player. He has the one that you don’t teach, which is the fire, wanting to take every possession personally.” Gobert added that while Edwards is an impressive on-ball defender, he has challenged the former No. 1 overall pick to be better and more alert off the ball.
- Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon exited Wednesday’s loss to Sacramento due to a left hamstring strain and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, Portland announced (via Twitter). We’ll have to wait for further updates to see how long the reigning Sixth Man of the Year might be sidelined.
- Thunder guard/forward Josh Giddey received a technical foul in the second quarter of Monday’s victory over Atlanta, but it has been rescinded, the NBA announced on Thursday (Twitter link). The No. 6 pick of the 2021 draft, Giddey will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason after having his fourth-year option exercised last month.
This is the season where the Gobert gamble pays off, they’ve already routed Denver and beat Boston with Towns not playing all that well yet. McDaniels, Gobert and Edwards are a force.
Thise 3 will be tough to get past… KAT will have to be the best version of himself to not be the target on defence…
Would be a good time to move KAT to the Knicks for Randle, Grimes and bunch of draft picks. Randle is a natural PF and a better fit than KAT next to Gobert. Let a declining KAT be the Knicks problem.
And have a declining Randle to deal with instead?
They could get a better long term 4…
Randle cost is half of what the $60 million per year KAT is already under contract for. Randle is struggling with his shot, but still stuffs the stat sheet as an elite rebounder with strong assist totals. Better fit at half the price.
Anthony Edwards is now unquestioned as the top player on Minnesota. He eats EVERY night across the board.
“Have a declining Randle to deal with”
Kat is much more underwater than Randle so I don’t see you’re point
I’d prefer Quickley as a centerpiece there, I love Conley but have to be at least somewhat concerned with how he ages if he sticks around given we have no long-term PG answer outside of him right now. Not to say I wouldn’t like Randle here also, and taking back Fournier’s expiring would have perks too. Lots of different iterations of a deal there.
That said, as a Wolves fan I’m excited to see this continue, at least for this year. Watching games, KAT has actually been playing not-great-but-good defense and looks more comfortable in space and rotating on that side of the ball. His shot has started falling the last couple games also. If he can finally learn to get his body under control when driving to the rim and not hook his defender every time then he can fit just fine on the court.
Last I checked Wolves have a plus rating for the starting 5 as well as every relevant 2-man pairing with KAT on the floor so far this season. Watching KAT throw lobs to Rudy is also just fun.
Ultimate – I ultimately don’t see a Kat deal happening but NOW is 100% the time to do it if so
Good chance he’s unmovable next year
Robert Williams and now Malcolm Brogdon both already injured. No surprise here. Exactly what else did Portland get back for Jrue Holiday???
How is the whole building a team around Scoot before Scott actually plays in an NBA thing going for Portland right now?? Is 8.8 points, 4.6 assists, 4.0 turnovers while shooting 34% from the field, and .095 from behind the arc what was expected??
There’s plenty of salt to throw around in Por, you don’t have to go after a guy with 8 career games under his belt
A 1st round pick. 6th man, veteran presence in Brogdon for mentorship. And Williams… obviously came to POR to get a surgery, rehabilitate on a more methodical timeline. Nothing has changed.
Sucks Scoot and Malcolm got hurt. Seems like bad luck; not some grand strategic error.
Is the Portland GM still patting himself on the back for his Lillard trade??
Tyler Herro is averaging 23 points, 5 rebounds and nearly 5 assists per game. He is knocking down 41% of his shots behind the arc. He is doing this on a team that also features Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The injury is tough for him. He was potentially headed for an All-NBA nod. Tyler Herro would easily be the best player on Portland, and based on early looks from Scoot, who still can’t shoot, the new face of the franchise.
Meanwhile, Robert Williams and Brogdon are both already hurt. Williams has no trade value now, and Brogdon’s just took a major hit.
Meanwhile…
Tyler Herro out for weeks…
He’s got no sense ….. clowns himself.
Tyler Herro would not be the best player on Portland???
Robert Williams has trade value after injury???
Malcolm Brogdon fought with Boston over his injury before being traded. Has a long injury history, and is now hurt again. You saying his trade value went up???
I’m no Joe Cronin fan but he made the better trade for Portland. Holiday was easier to flip for more firsts. They also picked up Ayton and Miami had no one of his caliber they were willing to part with.
Herro wouldn’t easily their best player. Right now he might be slightly better than Shaedon Sharpe but Sharpe has been killing it. He’s 4 years younger, a better athlete and has a higher cieling. No Portland wouldn’t have had to part with Sharpe but Herro plays the same position. They’re not in a position to worry about winning so all having Herro on the roster would do is block opportunities for Sharpe and Simons when he returns from injury.
Shaedon Sharpe wasn’t even a starter for Portland this year. He was coming off the bench with limited production until Anfernee Simons got hurt.
Herro is balling out on a championship contending team. Jimmy and Bam are deferring to Herro offensively.
Portland GM was so focused on not giving Dame what he wanted that they passed on Herro. Who absolutely is better than ANY player on the Portland roster.
Portland stacked up a bunch of veteran names. You can’t shortcut a rebuild unless you are the Lakers, and are a destination franchise.
Phoenix couldn’t get Ayton, who is averaging 11 points per game while shooting fewer than 1 free throw per game, out of town fast enough. Congrats, you now have an Andre Drummond clone as your franchise big. Doing nothing but increasing the chances of you getting a worse lottery pick.
Stack up as many young players and assets as you can regardless of position and see what sticks.
Sharpe has started 7 of 8 games for the Blazers. Coming off the bench with limited production for one game and a league leading 39.1 mpg?
Brogdon has value. The Time Lord hurts. Thus may be it for him. He looked slower now the other knee. So sad!!!
I think we should declare the Miami Heat the winner of the Lillard trade. Tyler Herro costs $40 million less per year than Lillard, and a case can be made that he is currently a better player than the 34-year old Lillard. Numbers are identical except for Herro knocking down 41% from behind the arc compared to Lillard currently knocking down 29%.
You might want to check your math. Lillard makes about $45 million this year and Herro is at $27 million.
Something else to consider is that if the Bucks don’t trade for a stud like Lillard, then perhaps Giannis walks? That could have been a factor behind all this. Risky but you have to do it.
Rudy and KAT will never work. They are both centers. They take up too much cap space. No one wants KAT at that price. Better move Rudy while he’s at peak value.
Move KAT because he has no position, sized like a center but thinks he’s a point guard. Rudy plays defense and opens lanes for Ant & Mike
Problem is his contract. What he needs next to him. Is a guy like Claxton. Who can guard the perimeter. Be cheaper and better mix of talent. KAT and Edwards can handle the scoring.
Wolves > Knicks