Utah Jazz: Latest trade rumors offer two different directions

Draymond Green and Rui Hachimura, two potential Utah Jazz trade targets, offer two totally different routes when it comes to the future of the franchise.

Ever since the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season, it’s been nothing but rumors and speculation surrounding the Utah Jazz and their All-Star pairing of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.

While it does appear that the duo is prepared to take the court together if play resumes, a trade sending one of them (most likely Gobert) out of Utah is also a possibility.

Gobert’s contract is up after the 2020-21 season and given his age, future salary, and relationship with Mitchell, a trade is something that fans should not be totally shocked by if it comes to it.

We’ve already seen a handful of fan-made scenarios, but over the last few days, two names have surfaced as potential trade candidates from Bleacher Report — Golden State’s Draymond Green and Washington’s Rui Hachimura.

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Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report details a potential Gobert/Green swap in his latest article, while Greg Swartz, also of Bleacher Report, proposes a large haul of Thomas Bryant, Rui Hachimura, Jerome Robinson and Ish Smith in return for the 2x Defensive Player of the Year.

Take a look at these two proposals. One gives you Draymond Green, a former Defensive Player of the Year himself who has fallen off a bit over the past two seasons but remains elite in his own right.

The other gives you Rui Hachimura, a promising rookie with solid fundamentals, along with future draft compensation.

One keeps you competitive in the wild Western Conference, while the other bumps you down the pole significantly.

This is the exact decision the Utah Jazz will face if they do decide to move Gobert. Do you look for an impact player(s) who can come in right away and help with the quest of bringing a championship to Utah, or do you look for younger talent/draft picks to build more towards the future?

Losing Gobert alone makes this team a lot worse, and they won’t get anywhere near his value in return, being that he’s on an expiring deal. He’s the heartbeat for the Utah Jazz on both ends of the court, and I believe that will show if he’s sporting a different uniform.

If you know me, you know that I’m in favor of keeping Gobert. I will admit, though, that landing a player like Green is enticing. I know most Jazz fans don’t like the guy, but he’s got one of the more unique skillsets in the league and is someone that I would have considered a top-ten player not too long ago.

Hachimura, though, is a different story. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good young player that has a lot of potential, but if he’s headlining a package for Gobert, then something tells me you could do better.

Don’t expect the rumors surrounding Rudy Gobert to go away anytime soon, Utah Jazz fans. Things are just getting started.