The Timberwolves’ solution to Rudy Gobert’s riddle is crystal clear

It’s no secret that Rudy Gobert is an elite rim protector who takes the Minnesota Timberwolves’ defense to the next level. During the 2023-2024 season, the “Stifle Tower” won his fourth Defensive Player of the Year and anchored the NBA’s best defense.

The Wolves maintained a high-level defense last season, ranking sixth in defensive rating. One key difference, however, was the defense when Gobert was not on the field. In the 2023-2024 season, the Wolves posted a defensive rating of 111.3, which tied for the NBA’s second-best defense with Gobert off the court. Last season, with Rudy on the field, they achieved a DRTG of 108.6 (equivalent of second), but only a DRTG of 116.3 (equivalent of 20th) when he was off the field.

Undoubtedly, maintaining a high-level defense when Rudy is not on the field will be crucial for the Timberwolves this season. During a recent appearance on the Dane Moore Podcast, Jace Frederick offered the perfect solution to this dilemma.

‘To me it is the most obvious Rudy’s extrajudicial solution in the world. We’re going Jaden [McDaniels] in a position where he is very consistently a low man when Rudy is not on the field. And Jaylen Clark will be our offensive defenseman. And I think this solves a lot of problems,” Frederick explains.

Using McDaniels as a low man makes too much sense

Frederick’s solution makes a lot of sense in my opinion. This wouldn’t mean McDaniels would play the five, as Naz Reid or Julius Randle would take on that role. Either way, McDaniels could help protect the rim and stray off the ball around the baseline.

Frankly, McDaniels is much better suited for this low man role than Reid or Randle. While McDaniels is an elite ball defender, he also causes havoc on the ball, something the Wolves will need to lean into when Gobert is off the field. Impressively, McDaniels ranks in the 97th percentile, with 1.4 blocks per 100 possessions and an average of 2.2 shares per game.

Undoubtedly, these skills make McDaniels perfectly equipped to take on low-level tasks. When McDaniels and Gobert are on the field, McDaniels can still be used on the ball. Nevertheless, if Rudy is off the field, using McDaniels in an off-ball role makes a lot of sense.

The other part of Frederick’s solution that is crucial is having Jaylen Clark handle the offensive duties. McDaniels typically guards the opponent’s best perimeter player, and he is an elite ball defender. However, to keep the defense afloat with Rudy, it would make sense to use McDaniels in more of an off-ball role.

Clark is well equipped to defend elite stars, which would help McDaniels fill this off-ball defense role. Anthony Edwards and Terrence Shannon Jr. taking steps defensively would also be helpful. Nevertheless, the Wolves need to find a way to field a competent defense when Gobert is off the floor, and deploying McDaniels in a different role seems like the easiest solution.