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The biggest blockbuster of the offseason so far came around midday on Friday, when the Minnesota Timberwolves sent a boatload of contracts and future picks to the Utah Jazz for three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Wojnarowski later broke down Utah’s haul for the big man, and it’s a sizable one: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick (all unprotected) and a top-five protected first in 2029.
Minnesota didn’t have to surrender a star (or even a prospect with star potential), but that’s a hefty price in draft compensation alone. For a 30-year-old center who offers nothing in terms of shot creation, there’s a chance this deal ages poorly.
Having said that, it’s also not hard to see why the Timberwolves are going all in.
Karl-Anthony Towns signed a max extension earlier in free agency. Alongside Vanderbilt, he already operated like a 4 on offense. His role won’t change much there. In fact, it’ll probably get easier. With Gobert dragging defenses down the lane on his rim runs, Towns should have a little extra time on his jumpers outside.
And of course, that’s not even where Gobert will help the most. Towns no longer needs to worry about being the anchor on defense. Gobert has been the best in the league in that role for over half a decade.
Beyond the three DPOYs, Utah has the best defense in the league since the start of 2015-16 (Gobert’s first season as a starter), and he’s obviously the common thread through all those teams.
Towns may struggle with some defensive assignments outside the paint, but the entire scheme figures to funnel guys to Gobert anyway. With those two, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell all in Minnesota’s starting five, the Timberwolves could be a nightmare next season (and probably for the next couple).
Of course, if Gobert starts to decline before his massive contract expires (he has a player option for $46.7 million in 2025-26), they might want those picks back, but this shows an admirable level of commitment to the young talent on the roster.
Grade: B+
It’ll be very interesting to see what’s next for the Jazz. In a clip that has spawned countless memes throughout the day, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested Danny Ainge may press the reset button and fire up a full-scale rebuild. If they do, the perception of this deal will probably change.
For now, we’ll operate under the assumption that this signals a commitment to make Donovan Mitchell the unquestioned face of the franchise and build around him.
And from that perspective, appreciating this trade will likely require some patience.
During their five seasons together, Utah was plus-7.5 points per 100 possessions when Gobert and Mitchell shared the floor, plus-10.3 when Gobert played without Mitchell and plus-0.1 when Mitchell played without Gobert.
Replacing the backbone of the defense and one of the game’s best lob rim-runners with several role players probably won’t push the needle in the right direction in the short term, even if the incoming group is more switchable on defense.
Where this pays off (if at all) is down the road.
Kessler was a dominant shot-blocker in college. It may take some time to learn the nuances and adjust to the speed of NBA defenses, but he has potential as a rim protector. And if Gobert does indeed fall off soon, those picks could be valuable (either on their own or as part of future trades).
The question, of course, is whether Mitchell is willing to exercise that patience.
Jazz Grade: C+
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