The first domino of trade season fell last night, with Trae Young headed to the nation's capital. The Utah Jazz weren't involved whatsoever, surprising absolutely no one. However, a Young trade could have affected them had he been sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves instead, affecting what they owe the Jazz.
Before the trade, NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported that Young was interested in joining the Timberwolves, but the feeling wasn't mutual.
"I'm told that Young’s camp has suggested Minnesota and Brooklyn, from their side, as two attractive potential destinations," Fischer wrote. "Yet I'm also told that neither the Timberwolves nor the Nets are in pursuit."
From the sounds of things, it wasn't a matter of how they felt about Young, but rather he was just too expensive, per Fischer.
"For all the leaguewide discussion about the Timberwolves' search for more playmaking, they would face similar issues in a theoretical Young trade as Milwaukee. How many key players would the Wolves have to sacrifice to match Young's salary? Answer: Too many," Fischer wrote.
The Timberwolves' Achilles heel since acquiring Rudy Gobert has been playmaking. Mike Conley was an effective band-aid for a time, but on the wrong side of 30, his effectiveness is nowhere near what it was three years ago. Young may have been perfect for them to take the risk of acquiring his deal, and it could have vaulted them to favorites in the West.
That's all conjecture, but it's definitely something that could have changed the Western Conference landscape. Young would have solved their biggest problem, and as one of the best playmakers in the league, may have been the last piece of the puzzle for their championship team.
Utah could benefit more from the Gobert trade now
It's very possible that the Timberwolves will acquire a playmaking upgrade before the deadline, which would be trouble for Utah. However, as Fischer alluded to, acquiring an elite one would be hard because of how expensive they are.
What hasn't gotten enough attention is how much the Jazz have benefited from the Gobert trade. Almost four years later, that deal gave them Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, and Walter Clayton Jr. (by proxy). Oh, and there's that Suns unprotected pick they got in part because of the Timberwolves (again by proxy).
The Timberwolves are still an excellent team, but that hasn't stopped the Jazz from capitalizing on what they have them in exchange for Gobert in 2022. As long as they don't get an upgrade at the point, it helps the Jazz's chances of adding more down the line. Of course, because of that Suns trade, it's possible the Timberwolves don't fork over all that many assets to the Jazz from 2026 to 2029, but luckily, Utah has the patience to wait until then.