At this stage of his career, Rudy Gobert has become accustomed to consistent criticism. His four Defensive Player of the Year awards have garnered plenty of talking points, with many often misunderstanding him as a player.
People’s arguments have always been too heavily weighed on the aesthetics of his game rather than his true impact. Ultimately, his offensive game is limiting his ceiling as a player.
So why do critics continue to berate Gobert’s world-class defense instead of what’s holding him back as a player?
Gobert has always built his game around his defensive abilities. From his time as a prospect to his early NBA success, he has complemented his 7’1” size and 7’9” wingspan with dynamic instincts.
Despite being a project player and late first-round draft pick, Rudy quickly garnered major media recognition. In his second NBA season, he earned a top-five finish for DPOY and a third-place finish for the Most Improved Player Award as he entered his prime.
It was also Quin Snyder’s first season as the Utah Jazz’s head coach. That season was vital to Gobert’s development, with Snyder electing to start Gobert in 37 games and the season’s final 29 games as Utah began to build its new identity.
The Jazz immediately started to rely on Gobert’s defense, funneling all drives and his way through drop coverage. Gobert performed his duties with aplomb. He anchored Utah’s defense, which did not have many other above-average personnel, to become one of the league’s best defenses statistically. He continued to reign over the league defensively throughout his career, collecting four DPOY awards and seven Defensive First-Team selections over his next eight seasons.
Despite having one of the best runs of any defender in NBA history, critics focused on his shortcomings. Gobert has been hearing slander from all corners of the internet. Everyone from media members to current players like Draymond Green and Hall of Famers like Shaquille O’Neal.
Some people see Gobert’s drop coverage as lazy, and others criticize him for being unable to cover the perimeter. However, he’s impacted his team with some of the league’s best points per possession statistics for Bigs on isolation possessions.
Ultimately, people are picking on Gobert for the wrong reasons. His offensive output remains the main detriment to his team’s ceiling.
Still, despite his clear disadvantages, Gobert has held his own offensively in his nine seasons as a full-time NBA starter. In those seasons, he has averaged 14 points and 5.2 field goals made per game. However, he cannot score consistently outside of the restricted area, has inconsistent hands that lead to a lack of trust, and is not good at handling the ball for longer than a couple of seconds. As a result of these disadvantages, Gobert has needed his teammates to set him up to be effective offensively.
Fortunately for Gobert, his teams have surrounded him with multiple playmakers throughout the prime of his career. The Jazz paired him with Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Joe Ingles. And the Timberwolves have surrounded him with Conley, Anthony Edwards, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Utah and Minnesota’s primary scoring and playmaking options have allowed Gobert to receive easier scoring opportunities. In Gobert’s nine seasons as a full-time starter, his teammates have assisted on 72.8% of his field goals.
Gobert has done a lot of damage as a PnR roll man. Most teams have found success using a traditional big and someone with Gobert’s stature as a screener, primarily because of the archetype’s offensive inefficiencies. Deploying Gobert as a screener keeps him active within the offensive flow and keeps the defense from completely sagging off him. Over time, he developed the ability to become one of the league’s best screeners. He realizes angles to seal off defenders and is crafty by rescreening opponents often.
Gobert’s teams have defined his offensive role, and he has found his niche. However, many of the same deficiencies that have limited him his entire career become magnified in the playoffs, even within the simplicity of his role.
The Wolves have suppressed Gobert’s offensive flaws well throughout the regular season. Gobert has developed good chemistry with KAT and the rest of the roster quickly enough to keep the offense flowing. While no championship contender is perfect, Minnesota’s weakness with Gobert offensively has kept them from reaching their ceiling despite hanging in through the growing pains.
Throughout the playoffs, and often within crucial possessions of the regular season, opponents knew they could find ways to single out Gobert offensively. His screens are only effective when the defense gives into them. Teams have started doubling the ball handler, especially when it’s Edwards, Minnesota’s No. 1 scoring threat. By doing so, they force the ball into Gobert’s hands on the short roll while pressuring Edwards, making the Wolves play an unbalanced offense and forcing the ball into unproven offensive threats.
Gobert’s teammates occasionally stop trusting him because of his offensive shortcomings, creating a vicious cycle. Ant’s trust in Gobert has wavered, causing lots of uncertainty within these crucial possessions. If he decides not to find the open man in Gobert, possessions can become chaotic.
Consistently finding the open man and allowing Gobert to make the correct read to another teammate or finish the possession himself can be optimal. But it also can play right into the defense’s wishes. Gobert still is unproven as a short-roll decision-maker, and forcing the ball out of your best player’s hands in critical moments is not an ideal plan. It may work here and there, although using it as a reliable offense will never be effective. The Wolves continued to find themselves in offensive limbo, particularly in the Dallas Mavericks series.
The Wolves have championship aspirations, and no contender is perfect. However, to improve their chances of winning it all, they must find a way to involve Gobert offensively. They can make tweaks, but Rudy is what he is offensively, and the Wolves will have to work around that. Few players dramatically change their games this deep into their careers.
However, offensive creativity and screening usage are among Gobert’s easiest routes. The Wolves should use Gobert off the ball more to open up others. His roll gravity is a great way to keep the court in flow. They cannot allow him to stagnate the offense. The Wolves already play slower than most teams in the NBA. Therefore, if they want to continue to be methodical offensively, they must find more ways to cover up Gobert’s weaknesses.
