NBA trade grades: Timberwolves acquire Rudy Gobert in blockbuster deal with Jazz

Kyle Irving

NBA trade grades: Timberwolves acquire Rudy Gobert in blockbuster deal with Jazz image

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.

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.

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

Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.