Utah's center depth chart currently includes 2020 first-round pick Udoka Azubuike, who has played 252 minutes in two NBA seasons, and No. 22 overall pick Kessler.

Does pairing Rudy Gobert with fellow All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns make sense for the Minnesota Timberwolves? In a shocking move, ESPN's Wojnarowski reported on Friday that Gobert will be heading to Minnesota from the Utah Jazz in exchange for the rights to four players and first-round pick Walker Kessler and an incredible four first-round picks. This is Tim Connelly's first big move since leaving the Denver Nuggets to become Timberwolves president: one of the biggest moves we've seen in recent NBA history. It started with the idea of ​​pairing two of the four centers for All-NBA votes last season. Since the 2016-17 season, Gobert or Towns — though not both — have been selected to the All-Pro team, with Gobert accounting for four of them and Towns contributing two. How does the super combination of Gobert and Towns perform in the regular season and playoffs? What’s next for the Jazz after deciding to trade key players during their sixth straight playoff trip? Let's break down the big bets on Friday's blockbuster trade.

Timberwolves got:
Rudy Gobert

Jazz got:
Malik Beasley
Patrick
Beverly Walker Kessler Jared Van
De Beer Treian
DeRo Bolmaro
Four first-round picks

---

Minnesota Timberwolves: D

In theory, I'm interested in the idea of ​​Minnesota moving Towns to power forward in the regular season. However, once we get to the playoffs, it's a different story. Last year's Timberwolves defense, which ranked 13th in points allowed per 100 possessions during the regular season, appeared to be near the top of its game around center Towns. It might not be good enough for Minnesota to actually make the playoffs. Although Utah is just three spots better defensively, the addition of Gobert should be transformative for the Timberwolves' defense in the regular season. The Jazz are relying on Gobert to cover a below-average perimeter defenders, and he'll work with more talented guys in Minnesota. On the offensive end, Towns has enough skills to make the power forward next to Gobert effective. The self-proclaimed greatest big man shooter of all time, Towns can keep his defender at home when Gobert sets screens for Timberwolves guards Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell in the pick-and-roll. While Gobert's presence in the paint might make things a little tighter when Towns is on the floor, it's similar to last season's pairing of Towns and non-shooter Vanderbilt. (Vanderbilt’s average shot distance last season was 3.1 feet, just slightly ahead of Gobert’s 2.7 feet, according to Basketball-Reference.com.) All of this adds up to a team that should be better in the regular season. Strong Minnesota team. While it looks like the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers are all getting healthy, I give the Timberwolves' odds of finishing in the top six in the standings and avoiding the play-in tournament Even higher. (That would be Minnesota's highest seed since 2004, the only time in Timberwolves history to win a playoff series.) While the notion of Gobert "playing off the court" in the postseason is undoubtedly exaggerated, others Teams going smaller and pulling him out of the paint certainly lessened his impact.

Towns’ versatility should allow the Timberwolves to use him as a valuable combo big man that I discussed in an article earlier this week at power forward during the regular season and in the playoffs. During this period he served as center forward. When Minnesota invested in Gobert at center, there was only so much playing time available. I guess the Timberwolves hope Towns' own post game will prevent opponents from taking their traditional center off the court like they did against Gobert. This may prove to be accurate.

Does pairing Rudy Gobert with fellow All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns make sense for the Minnesota Timberwolves? In a shocking move, ESPN's Wojnarowski reported on Friday that Gobert will be heading to Minnesota from the Utah Jazz in exchange for the rights to four players and first-round pick Walker Kessler and an incredible four first-round picks. This is Tim Connelly's first big move since leaving the Denver Nuggets to become Timberwolves president: one of the biggest moves we've seen in recent NBA history. It started with the idea of ​​pairing two of the four centers for All-NBA votes last season. Since the 2016-17 season, Gobert or Towns — though not both — have been selected to the All-Pro team, with Gobert accounting for four of them and Towns contributing two. How does the super combination of Gobert and Towns perform in the regular season and playoffs? What’s next for the Jazz after deciding to trade key players during their sixth straight playoff trip? Let's break down the big bets on Friday's blockbuster trade.

Timberwolves got:
Rudy Gobert

Jazz got:
Malik Beasley
Patrick
Beverly Walker Kessler Jared Van
De Beer Treian
DeRo Bolmaro
Four first-round picks

---

Minnesota Timberwolves: D

In theory, I'm interested in the idea of ​​Minnesota moving Towns to power forward in the regular season. However, once we get to the playoffs, it's a different story. Last year's Timberwolves defense, which ranked 13th in points allowed per 100 possessions during the regular season, appeared to be near the top of its game around center Towns. It might not be good enough for Minnesota to actually make the playoffs. Although Utah is just three spots better defensively, the addition of Gobert should be transformative for the Timberwolves' defense in the regular season. The Jazz are relying on Gobert to cover a below-average perimeter defenders, and he'll work with more talented guys in Minnesota. On the offensive end, Towns has enough skills to make the power forward next to Gobert effective. The self-proclaimed greatest big man shooter of all time, Towns can keep his defender at home when Gobert sets screens for Timberwolves guards Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell in the pick-and-roll. While Gobert's presence in the paint might make things a little tighter when Towns is on the floor, it's similar to last season's pairing of Towns and non-shooter Vanderbilt. (Vanderbilt’s average shot distance last season was 3.1 feet, just slightly ahead of Gobert’s 2.7 feet, according to Basketball-Reference.com.) All of this adds up to a team that should be better in the regular season. Strong Minnesota team. While it looks like the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers are all getting healthy, I give the Timberwolves' odds of finishing in the top six in the standings and avoiding the play-in tournament Even higher. (That would be Minnesota's highest seed since 2004, the only time in Timberwolves history to win a playoff series.) While the notion of Gobert "playing off the court" in the postseason is undoubtedly exaggerated, others Teams going smaller and pulling him out of the paint certainly lessened his impact.

Towns’ versatility should allow the Timberwolves to use him as a valuable combo big man that I discussed in an article earlier this week at power forward during the regular season and in the playoffs. During this period he served as center forward. When Minnesota invested in Gobert at center, there was only so much playing time available. I guess the Timberwolves hope Towns' own post game will prevent opponents from taking their traditional center off the court like they did against Gobert. This may prove to be accurate.Still, I think at some point in the playoffs, Minnesota will face an opponent that's perfect for giving Gobert-Towns trouble in the frontcourt. There's no question that the Timberwolves are giving up a lot in this deal, despite their playoff history. When I first saw Wojnarowski reporting multiple first-round picks pointing in Utah's direction, I thought there were two or three . Minnesota gave up up to four tradable first-round picks over the next seven years, with the first three (2023, 2025 and 2027) completely unprotected from the top five of the 2029 pick. It's pretty remarkable that another team is willing to make a trade like this considering how poorly the last few teams have seemed to perform. Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers could still land their pick deals for Paul George and Anthony Davis respectively, Davis helped the Lakers win the championship while the Clippers Win this year. That said, both teams sent back unexpected lottery picks this year, with more to come. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets gave up a series of draft picks to acquire James Harden and Russell Westbrook, respectively, but when neither player was available His long stay in his new home backfired. Houston is rebuilding and will need lottery luck to avoid trading Oklahoma City for last year's No. 5 pick, and obligations to Rockets affect how Nets handle Kevin Durant trade Request decision. Granted, the Timberwolves aren't giving up valuable players on their current roster like those teams were. None of the four players headed to Utah are guaranteed to make Minnesota's roster next season, and the Timberwolves have managed to retain their second-best young player (Jaden McDaniels, now likely to start at small forward, and become the team's top wing defender). Still, Minnesota will have a lot of questions about its roster surrounding its core of Edwards, Gobert and Towns. The most pressing issue is how to deal with point guard D'Angelo Russell entering the final season of his contract. With the Timberwolves losing the opportunity to create cap space next summer, the option may be to keep Russell on a new contract or whatever he can get in return in a trade. What's up in the air is how expensive Minnesota's core will quickly become. Edwards will be on a rookie extension in the 2024-25 season, the same year Towns' new super player extension begins. Gobert and Towns are expected to make $93 million that season (the value of Towns' deal won't be determined until the salary cap is set for that season), and Edwards has about $36 million left over the top salary at the lower level. As ESPN's Zach Lowe and I discussed on Thursday's Lowe Post, I would also be in favor of Murray if the Timberwolves could select Gobert and the Atlanta Hawks for Dejounte Murray in this trade transfer. He's a cleaner pick in Minnesota, would be on Edwards and Towns' schedule, and wouldn't cost as much in either draft picks or salary. The Timberwolves opted to take the bigger bet, and we won't know for a few years if it was the right decision.

---

Utah Jazz: A

A year ago, I dismissed the idea of ​​trading Gobert as an overreaction to Utah’s playoff disappointment. After one season, I think the timing might be right. Luka Doncic A first-round playoff exit is harder to justify without the first half of the series, especially now that so many teams are able to use the five-out formula the Clippers developed in 2021 Drag Gobert away from the basket. It’s worth asking how long Gobert retains this trade value. He turned 30 last week and has one of the largest contracts in the NBA. The Jazz were certainly right to keep the price high for a Gobert trade, allowing them to avoid looking desperate, but they could still take advantage if someone was willing to reach that threshold.The most interesting element of the deal, as previewed by ESPN's Brian Windhorst's cryptic explanation to Get Up , is that Utah's front office chose to trade around draft picks instead of using Gobert for Multiple contributors trade in an attempt to create different winning models around young All-Stars Donovan Mitchell . The Jazz are now left with a wealth of draft picks and a provisional roster, which means more moves are sure to come. Utah's center depth chart currently includes 2020 first-round pick Udoka Azubuike, who has played 252 minutes in two NBA seasons, and No. 22 overall pick Kessler. That could set the Jazz up for success in the sign-and-trade of Deandre Ayton to the Phoenix Suns, although they may need to add a third team to provide Phoenix with a backup center. Utah, meanwhile, is overstocked at guard, with Beverley and Beasley joining Mitchell, Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Jazz move these players elsewhere. Beverley should have modest trade value on the $13 million, one-year extension he signed with Minnesota as he demonstrates his importance as a veteran on a young team. Maybe Mitchell will eventually be traded and Utah will turn to a deep rebuild. Either way, the starting point for a Gobert trade would better position the Jazz for the games ahead.

The most interesting element of the deal, as previewed by ESPN's Brian Windhorst's cryptic explanation to Get Up , is that Utah's front office chose to trade around draft picks instead of using Gobert for Multiple contributors trade in an attempt to create different winning models around young All-Stars Donovan Mitchell . The Jazz are now left with a wealth of draft picks and a provisional roster, which means more moves are sure to come. Utah's center depth chart currently includes 2020 first-round pick Udoka Azubuike, who has played 252 minutes in two NBA seasons, and No. 22 overall pick Kessler. That could set the Jazz up for success in the sign-and-trade of Deandre Ayton to the Phoenix Suns, although they may need to add a third team to provide Phoenix with a backup center. Utah, meanwhile, is overstocked at guard, with Beverley and Beasley joining Mitchell, Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Jazz move these players elsewhere. Beverley should have modest trade value on the $13 million, one-year extension he signed with Minnesota as he demonstrates his importance as a veteran on a young team. Maybe Mitchell will eventually be traded and Utah will turn to a deep rebuild. Either way, the starting point for a Gobert trade would better position the Jazz for the games ahead.