Jazz Officially Trade Gobert To Timberwolves

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz have officially traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The team announced the move Wednesday, five days after the blockbuster deal was agreed to in principle.

The Jazz sent Gobert to the Timberwolves in return for a massive haul that includes five players and a significant cache of draft assets.

3xDPOY 🏆
3x All Star ⭐️
6x NBA First-Team All Defense 🔒
9 seasons in a Utah Jazz uniform 🔮

For being a leader in the community and easy to root for on and off the court—Thank you, @rudygobert27 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WGtp5PXO6d

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 6, 2022

Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Balmaro, and rookie Walker Kessler will join the Jazz, while the Timberwolves will also send unprotected first-round picks in 2023, 2025, and 2027.

The Jazz will also get a 2029 first-round pick that is top-five protected, and the rights to swap draft picks with the Timberwolves in 2026.

The trade is the second major move this offseason for the Jazz who also sent starting forward Royce O’Neale to the Brooklyn Nets for a 2023 first-round pick.

What Gobert Offers Timberwolves

While the Timberwolves gave up a nearly unprecedented trade package to land Gobert, they’re acquiring one of the most impactful big men in the NBA.

Over the past six seasons, Gobert has established himself as one of the top big men in the NBA, one of the most decorated players in Jazz history, and has built what should be a Hall of Fame resume.

IT’S OFFICIAL.

welcome to the squad, @rudygobert27 🐺 pic.twitter.com/8SgOos2CUr

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 6, 2022

Since 2016, Gobert has been named to six consecutive All-Defensive first teams, he’s earned four All-NBA honors, three All-Star nods, and has won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times.

During the stretch, he averaged 14.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. He led the NBA in field goal percentage three of the six seasons, led the NBA in blocks per game in 2016-17, and led the league in rebounds per game last year.

“Rudy Gobert had a huge impact on this franchise and the entire state of Utah during his nine seasons with the Jazz,” Jazz owner Ryan Smith said of Gobert in a release from the team.

“One of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, Rudy will forever be considered one of the most significant players to wear a Jazz uniform. His love for and impact on this community are impossible to overstate. He fully embraced this state, especially through his Rudy’s Kids Foundation. Rudy will forever be a part of us. We wish him all the best in this next stage of his career. Once a Jazzman, always a Jazzman.”

Jazz Acquire Five Players

The Jazz welcome five new players in the trade including three players aged 23 or younger in Vanderbilt, Bolmaro, and Kessler, and two veterans in Beasley and Beverley.

Vanderbilt was a second-round draft pick in 2018 and became a regular rotation player for the Timberwolves over the last two seasons. Since 2020, Vanderbilt has averaged 6.2 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor in 138 games in Minnesota.

The forward has two-year and $9 million remaining on his contract.

.@rudygobert27 made countless big plays in nine seasons with the @utahjazz.@Samsworth_KSL was somehow able to find the five best of Gobert's time in Salt Lake City.#TakeNote https://t.co/sqcTPpt0ED

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 6, 2022

Bolmaro was the 23rd pick in the 2020 NBA draft and stayed overseas for a season before joining the Timberwolves last year. The rookie averaged 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 35 appearances with Minnesota.

The Argentine forward is under contract for $2.4 million next season with team options for the following two years.

Kessler was selected by the Timberwolves with the 22nd pick in last week’s NBA draft. The center began his college career at North Carolina but transferred to Auburn as a sophomore where he averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and an impressive 4.6 blocks per game.

The big man is under team control on his rookie deal for the next several seasons.

Okay @utahjazz fans, here's what you're getting in your new defensive specialist Walker Kessler. #TakeNote | @AuburnMBB https://t.co/RHvwkwbBk9

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) July 2, 2022

The Jazz also added two NBA veterans that could step onto the floor and help the team right away.

Beverley is a 10-year NBA veteran who averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds with Minnesota last season. The guard has been named to three All-Defensive teams during his career.

The veteran has one-year and $13 million remaining on his contract.

Rudy Gobert said goodbye to @utahjazz fans in a heartfelt message after being traded to the @Timberwolves. #TakeNote https://t.co/XQ5Jj4yhQK

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 2, 2022

Beasley is a wildcard selection for the Jazz who has tremendous talent on the floor, and an ugly history off it. The wing averaged 19.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in the 2020-21 season while shooting 40 percent from the three-point line, but was arrested that year for pointing a gun at a family that drove near his property.

The forward was sentenced to 120 days of home confinement after pleading guilty to the felony and was suspended 12 games by the NBA. Beasley served 78 days of his sentence and was released.

His averages dipped to 12.1 points and 2.9 rebounds last season with the Timberwolves. Beasley has two years and $32 million remaining on his contract, but the final year of his deal is a team option.

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