Rudy Gobert opens his 13th season Wednesday night in Miami, still the biggest defensive fact on the Timberwolves' roster. Minnesota's defense ranked 8th last season, and he was the reason it was not lower.
What the Line Says
Gobert played 76 games last season at 31.3 minutes. He averaged 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, and shot 68.2 percent from the field. His usage was 12.7 percent and his true shooting 66.4 percent. That is a player who takes only what the offense gives him, and who converts it. He attempted 0.1 threes a night and made none. He hit 52.6 percent at the line, which is the one number that makes opponents consider fouling him. His rebound percentage of 17.3 shows he still controls the glass when he is on the floor. Kenny Kluska of Dunking with Wolves wrote Monday that Minnesota's rebounding should not be a major issue this season. Gobert is the foundation of that view.
The Defensive Gap
The team's defensive rating last season was 112.5. Gobert's own was 108.0, more than four points better. His net rating was plus 5.0, against a team mark of plus 3.1. Those are the numbers behind the idea that this club wins by defending first. They also frame the preseason, which ended with a 106-128 loss to Detroit and a 116-133 loss at Chicago. Those games were played with rest designations stacked across the rotation, so they are weak evidence. Still, the last two results were the kind Gobert exists to prevent. His job is not to score more. It is to keep the floor under a lineup that now features LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards.
Age, Money, Minutes
Gobert is 34. He is owed $36.5 million this season and $38.0 million in 2027-28, the third-largest figure on the payroll behind Edwards and Ball. He is not on the injury report. He was listed day-to-day for rest on October 16, cleared the next day, then went back to day-to-day later on October 17. That reads as maintenance rather than concern, and the brief reports no injury. The question is workload. A center who played 31.3 minutes last season will be asked to cover a defense with a new point guard and a thinner roster after five waivers. The best lineups will be the ones that keep him in drop coverage, rolling and rebounding, without asking him to do anything else. Our verdict: Gobert does not need a bigger role. He needs to stay the steady center of a defense that must hold up every night.
What were Rudy Gobert's stats last season?
Gobert averaged 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 31.3 minutes over 76 games last season. He shot 68.2 percent from the field.
How much does Rudy Gobert make this season?
Gobert is owed $36.5 million in 2026-27 and $38.0 million in 2027-28. He is not on the injury report.
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