With two-straight Western Conference Finals runs under their belt, the 2025-26 Wolves are trying to take that next step. To do that, 24-year-old Anthony Edwards will have to push the 37-year-old NBA organization to the NBA Finals for the first time in its history.

If he can break the curse, it’d be the first a Minnesota team has tasted the NBA Finals since the Minneapolis Lakers were swept by Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics in the Spring of 1959. The “Lakers” would leave for the Los Angeles desert one season later.

But the 2025-26 Minnesota Timberwolves are flawed. Edwards is playing the best basketball of his career, but there’s not a lot of ball-handling help for him in the backcourt, which has proven a major problem vs good teams.

Another DPOY for MN Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert?

So with the trade deadline less than a month away, Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has been working the phones hard. One player who isn’t going anywhere? Rudy Gobert. Because without him, the Timberwolves wouldn’t be able to stop anybody.

In fact, independent Wolves beat reporter Dane Moore is pretty convinced Rudy Gobert is going to win his 5th NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award this season, despite Minnesota’s serious issues on that end of the floor through 39 games this season.

Some long-winded thoughts on why I think Rudy Gobert is going to win Defensive Player of the Year w/ @KyleTheige

Trying to add some context to the numbers that will be used to argue for and against his candidacy. pic.twitter.com/jNzpmsycgF

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) January 10, 2026

“I don’t think Rudy’s going to change what he’s doing defensively. I think the team as a whole is going to keep improving defensively. I mean, I think if you can get any plus money on Rudy right now, you should take it because I think Rudy is going to win Defensive Player of the Year.”

Dane Moore – Dane Moore NBA Podcast

The MN Timberwolves lost for the first time in five nights on Saturday, and it wasn’t because of the offense, which put up 134 points. Their issue, yet again, was on defense, where the Wolves allowed 146 points to the home Cavaliers, ultimately falling by double-digits.

Not a single Minnesota starter finished with a positive (+/-) rating last night. Julius Randle was a -20, Jaden McDaniels a -17. Even Edwards finished with a -16 (+/-). Only Gobert — who blocked 3 shots and added a steal to his 8 point and 12 rebound box score — finished in the single digits, at -8. Donte DiVincenzo was a -11.

Both Moore and Kyle Theige outlined the impact that Gobert is having on the floor for the Timberwolves. It sags substantially when both Julius Randle and Naz Reid (28 minutes vs CLE) are on the court together.

Deeper metrics tell story on Gobert’s defense in 2025-26

Across 38 games this season, Gobert is averaging 11.3 points on a league-leading 72.5% field goal percentage. His 11.3 rebounds are a step up from last season, his 3.9 offensive rebounds per game are a career-best. He’s still blocking 1.6 shots per game too.

Minnesota’s own Chet Holmgren is the current betting favorite (-120) to win Defensive Player of the Year (DraftKings), but Gobert comes in second at +300. Oklahoma City is a better team on defense, which could help Holmgren eventually come out on top.

But a deeper look at the metrics make Rudy look better than ever on that side of the floor. That’s why Moore is telling his listeners to get their plus-money in on Gobert for DPOY, while they can.

Rudy Gobert's updates on his monstrous defensive season: Minnesota is the 2nd defense w/ him, 30th w/o, teams are shooting -7.5% TS w/ him, -5.2% eFG% (97th percentile), grabbing -4.4% offensive rebounds (99th) and going way less to the FT line (-11.9 FT rate, 100th) pic.twitter.com/96rj7BcwdG

— Francesco Semprucci (@fra_sempru) January 4, 2026

Bam was quoted on Saturday saying “he cant f***ing guard me” of Gobert.

Bam Adebayo when defended by Rudy Gobert (last 2 games):
5-for-17 shooting

Gobert is holding opponents to 35.8%, playing like the DPOY.

Rudy’s still that guy. pic.twitter.com/y9R6RhPlwV

— Wolf Wise Statistics (@WolfWiseStats) January 7, 2026

Rudy Gobert the greatest defensive basketball player ever?

If Gobert indeed wins his 5th Defensive Player of the Year Award, it would be the most times any single NBA player has won that award, which would cement Rudy as THE greatest defensive basketball player ever, right?

For now, Gobert — who is signed in Minnesota through 2027 — is currently tied with Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo, who also won four Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

Wallace played until he was 37 and won his last DPOY Award at 31. Mutombo went until he was 42, and won his last DPOY at 34. Both legendary big men are now in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Gobert setting the record at 33 would be an incredible story. He is signed through 2027 with Minnesota, and this level of play is something the organization would love to continue signing up for.

Rudy Gobert is so back

There are many factors that play into the Wolves’ hot start, but one of the main contributors is Rudy Gobert’s return defensive player of the year form.

Rudy Gobert is unreal pic.twitter.com/kHNvnjpG65

— AlexHoops (@AlexHoops_) November 29, 2023

Related: Karl-Anthony Towns Revival Means Everything for Timberwolves Future

The Wolves currently rank 3rd in the NBA in team defense, allowing 106.2 points per game, only behind the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. Three of their players currently rank in the top-5 of all NBA players in defensive win shares. Anthony Edwards is 5th, Karl-Anthony Towns is 3rd and Rudy Gobert is 1st.

When the Minnesota Timberwolves made the move for Gobert, giving up one of the biggest packages in NBA history, they did so expecting to get the best defensive player in the league and the 3x DPOY. In his first year, Gobert failed to live up to the expectations, and even had fans wondering if the team was better without him.

This year, it has been a completely different story, and it’s making all the difference for the best team in the west. Gobert’s impact has been on full display all season. In the Wolves’ most recent contest vs the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rudy put up 17 points and 16 rebounds to go along with 4 blocks.

Rudy Gobert for NBA Defensive Player of the Year?

Late in the game (as seen in the clip above), Gobert locked down the paint and had Chet Holmgren looking completely clueless. Rudy’s playing with a different kind of passion this season and it shows in that clip.

Related: Rudy Gobert is Who Timberwolves Thought He Was

Can Rudy Gobert win Defensive player of the year? The sportsbooks say yes. According to FanDuel.com, Gobert is a pretty heavy favorite to win his 4th career DPOY.

If Rudy Gobert continues playing at this level, he gives the Wolves the chance to beat any team in the league… maybe even a real shot at a title.

Byron Buxton wins the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award https://t.co/FoljPfI8Nw pic.twitter.com/V4fcYyxU6X

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 11, 2017

Byron Buxton walked away from Friday’s Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards with the night’s highest honor. The Twins CF was named the Defensive Player of the Year Overall.

The NBC Sports piece helps us decipher the three major differences between Wilson’s awards and Gold Gloves:

1. Wilson Awards don’t separate AL/NL. Only one major leaguer, at each position, is chosen. Naturally, Buxton won it at Center.
2. Wilson Awards name a Defensive Player of the Year Overall (AKA Byron).
3. Friday’s awards involve more use of advanced metrics than those of the Golden variety.

Byron Buxton of the @Twins wins the outright Wilson Defensive Player of the Year. Inside Edge rated him as the best defensive player this season.

He made 96% of plays in his zone, the highest of any player in the #MLB

— Inside Edge (@InsideEdgeScout) November 11, 2017

Twins Nation should appreciate the use of these metrics, or at least get used to them. It’s Falvey and Levine’s style. Speed is our 23 year-old outfielders biggest asset. Said asset is weighed HEAVILY into these advanced metrics. Byron Buxton makes tough catches look routine. He makes impossible catches show up on SportsCenter. The young man covers more grass than my Zero-Turn John Deere. Why? GREAT reaction off the bat, DIRECT paths to drop points, and BLAZING speed.

The future is bright for the Minnesota Twins. But, two prospects have stood out among the rest, since being brought into the organization. When discussing the most promising talent org-wide, only two names are mentioned: Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Last night marked four months since the 2017 Home Run Derby. 120 days, 180 degrees. While Aaron Judge stole the Derby show, it was Miguel Sano who represented Minnesota. July saw Sano praised throughout baseball circuits, while many thought Buxton would never figure it out at the dish. One-third of a year later, the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year, is the most promising person in the Twins organization (@ me about it). He appears to have more than figured out the hitting thing, his only downfall early (see below). Sano, on the other hand, well… there seems to be more questions surrounding his health than there is Pete Rose’s morals.

Johnny Minnesota @mnsportsnstuff
Minnesota Sports FanMinnesotaSportsFan.com

Photo: USATSI