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We got a shocker on the NBA trade front on Friday as the Utah Jazz are shipping star center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a hefty package that includes several players and future first-round draft picks.
The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
Minnesota is sending its 2023, 2025 and 2027 picks unprotected and a top-5 protected 2029 pick to Utah, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/fz3wxKJT0D
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
Minnesota Timberwolves: A-
The Wolves must be confident in their viability as a contender if they’re giving up so many assets for Gobert’s services. The French star is a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and at the age of 30, he’s right in his prime. He notably has four more years left on the contact so he’ll be safely in Minneapolis for the for the foreseeable future.
Pairing Gobert with Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns raises Minnesota’s ceiling and is worth the assets given up.
Utah Jazz: C+
Trading away a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year is never a move that will make your team any better. However, the writing was on the wall that one of at least one of Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert would be leaving Salt Lake City in the offseason and the Jazz chose to ship off Gobert.
What happens to Mitchell will determine if Utah is going to go into full rebuild mode but it definitely helps that they’ll have a treasure trove of draft assets in their back pocket. On top of that, Malik Beasley can turn into a fine starter for the team while Walker Kessler is a first-round prospect with potential.