The Utah Jazz traded three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves to kick off what should surely be an interesting offseason for both franchises. The move should not be a shock to anyone, as Gobert has publicly expressed that he wanted out, and the Jazz made it no secret that they were shopping him around.
Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
Ultimately, Utah received Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Walker Kessler. Kessler was the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, so Utah finally ended up with a significant rookie for the upcoming season.
Utah also got a treasure chest of picks. Via Minnesota, Utah has first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029. All but the 2029 picks are unprotected, and the 2029 pick is only protected in the top five. Utah is also able to swap picks with the Timberwolves in 2026 if they so choose.
With the exception of Patrick Beverly, all the incoming players are 25 or younger. Beasley and Jordan Clarkson will be an excellent second unit in the backcourt. Beasly is a career 38% shooter from deep and can be the secondary scoring option with any unit. Leandro Bolmaro has only appeared in 35 NBA games and has been at the end of the bench for his short career, but he may prove to be a good replacement for Royce O’Neale, who was dealt earlier in the week.
Jarred Vanderbilt is a lanky forward who can play some great defense, but his offensive game has not quite translated. At only 22, he could be a fun project for new head coach Will Hardy. Patrick Beverly, is, of course, Patrick Beverly, so he might be the answer to the backcourt defensive woes the Jazz have suffered.
Walker Kessler is the most interesting part of the package. Selected 22nd overall in the draft, he stands at 7’1” and was one of the top recruits in the country before declaring for UNC. He is an elite shot-blocker, and after transferring to Auburn he averaged 11 points, 8.1 rebounds, and a whopping 4.6 blocks, which was tied for best in the country. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season and was one of the better players on a team headlined by Jabari Smith.