Rudy Gobert was the Jazz's best player for nearly a decade. They didn't get any big names back when they dealt him to Minnesota. And yet, Andy Larsen argues, the trade was an excellent one that could set up the next decade of Jazz basketball.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert warms up as the Utah Jazz host the Memphis Grizzlies, NBA basketball in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. The Jazz will miss Gobert, but shipping him to Minnesota opens up a world of possibilities.for the last six seasons. In fact, according to Basketball-Reference’s Win Shares metric, it would have been eight consecutive seasons, save for an injury that cost him a month in 2015-16.
It’s probably not a coincidence, either, that all three teams overturned their front office right before making their franchise-changing deals. Portland GM Neil Olshey was fired, replaced by Joe Cronin. Minnesota replaced Gersson Rosas with Tim Connelly. Utah sent Dennis Lindsey packing, and hired Danny Ainge above Justin Zanik. Sometimes, it takes new perspective to realize that the old way isn’t working.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert blocks Detroit Pistons guard Cassius Stanley on his way to the basket in NBA action between the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. • Patrick Beverley is absolutely out of his gourd when he’s on the court, making insanely positive defensive energy plays and fouling with essentially equal rapidity ... but that’s a skillset that, frankly, the Jazz could have used over the last few years. Could they keep him? Sure. Could they trade him to the next team desperate for perimeter defensive toughness? Certainly.
• Walker Kessler was named the best defensive player in college basketball last year. He’s a rim-protecting, roll to the rim center, but with more mobility than those guys usually have in college. Sound familiar? Yes, he’ll be worse at it than Gobert, but he’s a rookie on a miniscule contract for the next four seasons. Could the Jazz keep him as their Gobert-lite of the future? Yes.
Then you get to the draft picks. Three of the picks the Jazz are getting are entirely unprotected: the ones in 2023, 2025, and 2027. The 2029 first-round pick they’re getting is protected, but only to the top five. Finally, they’re getting the option to swap draft picks in 2026.
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