NBA free agency is in full swing and there has been no shortage of entertainment.
The excitement continued on Friday when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported a blockbuster trade between the Jazz and Timberwolves that will send three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to Minnesota in return for a handful of players and massive draft capital.
The Timberwolves are sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and multiple first-round picks for Gobert, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
Wojnarowski added that the Jazz will receive four first-round picks and a pick swap, as well as forward Leandro Balmaro in the deal. Minnesota surrendered its 2023, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks (all unprotected), along with a pick swap in 2026 and a top-five protected first-round pick in 2029.
MORE: NBA free agency grades and instant analysis
Who won the Gobert trade? The Sporting News has grades for each team below.
Timberwolves trade grade
The Timberwolves are clearly going all in with this acquisition for three-time Defensive Player of the Year Gobert.
Along with giving up three key rotation players in Beasley, Beverley and Vanderbilt, Minnesota also traded their 2022 first-round pick in Auburn 7-footer Kessler.
Add that group to four (!) first-round picks – three of which are unprotected – and you can start to imagine the Timberwolves' front office saying, "take whatever you want for Gobert."
Gobert's fit in Minnesota is interesting, to say the least. While he has a strong case as the best rim protector and interior defender in the NBA, the Timberwolves already had a franchise cornerstone center in Karl-Anthony Towns, who just received a four-year, $224 supermax contract on Thursday.
Towns is prone to drifting out on the perimeter anyway, so he can slot next to Gobert at power forward, but it is questionable that in today's perimeter-oriented game, the Timberwolves are committing $430 million (!!!) in salary to centers.
It will take time for Towns and Gobert to mesh, but it does form an extremely talented trio along with star guard Anthony Edwards.
The draft capital they gave up is overwhelming and the fit isn't clean, but the Timberwolves got better from this trade.
Grade: B
Rudy Gobert contract details
During the 2020 offseason, the Jazz signed Gobert to a five-year, $205 million contract extension – the largest deal for a center in NBA history at the time.
That extension kicked in this past season, where Gobert earned $35.3 million. He still has four years and roughly $170 million remaining on that deal, with the final year (2025-26) being a player option.
| Year | Salary |
| 2022-23 | $38.2 million |
| 2023-24 | $41 million |
| 2024-25 | $43.9 million |
| 2025-26 | $46.7 million (player option) |
| 2026 | Unrestricted free agent |
Jazz trade grade
While the initial reaction to this deal was that the Jazz are having a rebuilding firesale, it appears they are planning on keeping All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell and building the team around him.
The Jazz gathered six first-round picks in the past 24 hours, including 7-footer Walker Kessler, the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 Draft. The Jazz plan to retool the roster around All-Star G Donovan Mitchell.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
Even though they gave up their defensive anchor and franchise cornerstone, the Jazz are reportedly not done dealing just yet, according to The Athletic's Tony Jones. They are rumored to have interest in a possible sign-and-trade with the Suns for Deandre Ayton, and now they have plenty of draft capital to make a deal there (or elsewhere).
While Utah undoubtedly takes a step back following this deal, it feels unfair to give them a grade until we see what else there is to come.
But with a star like Mitchell and some quality rotation players and four first-round picks (and a pick swap) in return for Gobert, new CEO Danny Ainge is already making things happen in Utah.
Grade: Incomplete
