When the Utah Jazz agreed to send Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves back in July of 2022, it was viewed as a total slam dunk for the franchise at the time. But after a few years, and especially after Utah's latest draft pick on Wednesday night, we're seeing more and more how the Jazz are likely to regret dealing away their former franchise center.
During the first night of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday, Utah used their 21st-overall selection they obtained from the Timberwolves to select Will Riley from the University of Illinois. They ultimately ended up sending the pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for the number 18 pick in Walter Clayton Junior. Clayton is a great prospect, but it's questionable whether he can completely erase the sour memories of that fateful 2022 trade.
Unfortunately, this forces us to revisit the Gobert trade that earned Utah this pick in the first place. If we go back to the July evening, we remember that the Jazz agreed to send their defensive anchor in return for a long list of players, and a massive haul of picks. Utah got back Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (the number 22 pick in 2022 Draft), Jarred Vanderbilt, a 2023 first-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 pick swap, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2029 first-round pick.
Utah's return for Gobert has not improved
Given the enormity of this package, it's no surprise why it was seen as a total steal for the Jazz at the time. Many were quick to clown the Timberwolves for the move, with some even feeling bold enough to call it the worst trade of all time. By all accounts, it seemed as though Utah had pulled off a heist of Minnesota.
The following season only served to confirm those suspicions in the eyes of many, with Walker Kessler emerging as a premiere defensive player in 2022-23. However, Kessler has not stayed on the same trajectory since then. None of the other players originally included in that deal are in Utah anymore.
The Jazz are left with the Timberwolves' draft picks, but even those numerous picks aren't as valuable as they were a couple of years ago. Minnesota has become a top-level playoff team in the Western Conference, leaving Utah with what will likely be more mid-to-late first-round picks for the foreseeable future.
We know that the Jazz making this trade nearly three years ago was a bet on Rudy Gobert ultimately slowing down and opting for greater flexibility for the future. Number 27 has remained one of the game's best defensive anchors, and it's hard to think Utah doesn't continue to regret their decision.