A blockbuster trade has occurred! The Utah Jazz have traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Walker Kessler, Leandro Bolmaro, and multiple first-round picks. Speculation arose this offseason that the team would look to move on from one of Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. The team made its choice and will look to build around their star shooting guard moving forward. Minnesota was rumored to be looking to pair a center with Karl-Anthony Towns and now they have done just that.
The Jazz are landing four Minnesota first-round picks and 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler in the deal for Rudy Gobert, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
This past season with the Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game. He paired those numbers with a field goal percentage of 71.3 percent. In the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he averaged 12.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game with a field goal percentage of 63.6 percent. The defensive anchor needs no introduction when it comes to his ability with paint defense and rebounding. Utah has gained the capital it needs to begin building a new-looking roster around Donovan Mitchell.
The Timberwolves now have…
– Karl-Anthony Towns under contract for 6 years and $283.5M
– Rudy Gobert under contract for 4 years and $170M
– Anthony Edwards under contract for 7 years and $222M (assuming he signs a mix extension next summer)— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) July 1, 2022
Rudy Gobert is a three-time defensive player of the year, six-time all-defensive team player, four-time All-NBA team player, and three-time All-Star Selection. The Timberwolves have mortgaged their future in the hopes they can win an NBA Championship with their current set of players. Role players will have to be decided and the team could still decide to move on from point guard D’Angelo Russell in the near future.
