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It’s been four weeks since the Utah Jazz made the deal that would send Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the ramifications of that trade are still reverberating throughout the NBA.
It was that move that signaled the Jazz’s intentions of moving in a totally different direction, likely a rebuild, making way for movement in the Western Conference and leading up to trade talks involving Donovan Mitchell. But it’s not just the Jazz that have been changed or impacted by the Gobert deal.
The haul that the Jazz got in return for Gobert (Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, this year’s No. 22 overall pick Walker Kessler, four future first-round picks in 2023, 2025 and 2027, a top-five protected pick in 2029 and a pick-swap with Minnesota in 2026) has stalled trade discussions leaguewide.
The Jazz front office deserves a lot of credit for the largesse presented to them by the Wolves. But because of the size of the return for Gobert, the market has been set and now the Jazz are seeking a return of similar quality for Mitchell. So teams hoping to get in on those trade discussions are burdened with having to be willing to give up a lot.
Again though, this isn’t just about the Jazz. It’s also been more than four weeks since Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets and while that doesn’t have anything to do with the Jazz, the market value of Durant is obviously supposed to exceed that of Gobert, so it has made finding a team with a suitable haul of assets difficult.
These things eventually work themselves out and teams will find ways to make things work if they want a player bad enough, whether that means giving up the future to bet on a star player now, or getting multiple teams involved to put together an acceptable package.
But, Mitchell and Durant are high-level, team-changing players and movement in the NBA this summer has been quiet as the rest of the league waits to find out where these top names are going to end up. Until those moves are made, the league is in a bit of a holding pattern.
New with the Jazz
This week on ‘Unsalvageable’
Check out “Unsalvageable” hosted by Deseret News Utah Jazz beat reporter Sarah Todd and lifelong Jazz fan Greg Foster (no, not that Greg Foster).
This week the crew talks about final Summer League observations and the fact that there hasn’t been any news yet about where Mitchell could end up. No news is still news!
The podcast has moved to a new feed so remember to follow or subscribe by searching for “Unsalvageable” through your podcast provider.
New episodes come out every week. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you stream podcasts.
From the archives
This week in Jazz history
On July 30, 2020, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert sank two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to cap a 14-point, 12-rebound and three-block performance, giving the Jazz a 106-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the NBA’s 2019-20 season restart in the Orlando bubble.
How to pass the time in the offseason
Now that the Jazz season has come to an end, it means that I have some time to catch up on the things that I love but don’t have enough time for during the NBA season. Here I’ll suggest my latest way to pass the offseason time and also take your suggestions.
Jigsaw puzzles are not just a fun activity that I picked up during COVID-19 isolation. I’ve been putting together puzzles since before I can remember. My mother and I started puzzling together when I was a kid and when I visit her in California we always plan some time for us to sit together around a puzzle.
It’s not just about the activity though. Some of my best conversations with my mother are had when we are sorting through puzzle pieces. Sometimes we’ll listen to an audiobook while we puzzle, sometimes we’ll listen to a podcast and sometimes we’ll put on one of our favorite movies to play in the background. I also really enjoy puzzling when I’m alone. I find the sorting and the solving cathartic and relaxing.
I have all sorts of opinions on the proper way to puzzle and how things should be sorted and which types of puzzles are better than others (I prefer random cut over ribbon cut, Springbok and Cobble Hill are my favorite brands), but really the right way to puzzle is the one that makes you happy.
I love puzzling and I think that you should give it a try, whether it’s with your kids, with your friends, with your siblings, with your parents or even by yourself. And, if you get really into it, search on Facebook or other social media platforms for puzzle swap groups in your area, because then the puzzling can be endless.
Extra points
- Who are the best 2023 draft prospects not named Victor Wembanyama? (Deseret News)
- What Jazz fans should know about Simone Fontecchio (The Athletic)
- What would a Russell Westbrook to the Jazz trade look like? (Salt Lake Tribune)
Around the league
The Boston Celtics are interested in Kevin Durant.
Aron Baynes will play in Australia one year after spinal injury.
Zion Williamson’s contract extension has weight stipulations.
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