The Utah Jazz are in an interesting spot as the 2022 NBA Draft arrives. They just lost their head coach in Quin Snyder and are methodically working through candidates to replace him. Rudy Gobert trade rumors are swirling as many believe there should be a big roster shakeup after another disappointing playoff exit. Meanwhile, the Jazz own zero picks in this draft.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Utah is open to trading its All-Star center, “with multiple teams remaining viable options.” Of course, the Jazz aren't just going to give Gobert away, so there's a very real possibility he's not traded … at least not yet. The Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors are just some of the teams that have been mentioned as popular suitors for Gobert. The Bulls recently had quite a bit of buzz, though that has died down somewhat.
Meanwhile, Jones says Utah is exploring all avenues to get into this draft:
Utah has held conversations concerning finding a way into Thursday night’s draft, multiple league sources tell The Athletic. Whether something materializes from there, also remains to play out. But the Jazz are trying, and they are dangling many of the players in their core in order to conceivably find a match.
A Gobert trade is certainly one way to get into this draft, but outside of that, the Jazz are apparently offering up just about anybody in an attempt to do this. Donovan Mitchell is likely the only one who's truly safe. Gobert, Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic are just some of the notable players on the roster who could be moved.
Utah wants to improve its perimeter defense while also getting younger. Danny Ainge has some big decisions to make as he looks to retool around Mitchell, assuming he doesn't want out. We'll see what happens with the Jazz on Thursday.
Follow Us
Subscribe
