How Jazz's Draft Picks From Rudy Gobert Trade Are Trending

The Utah Jazz are approaching the one-year mark of the Rudy Gobert blockbuster trade that took place last summer. With the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated from postseason play, the exchange is now entering the conversation as one of the biggest fleeces in NBA history.

Earlier this week, I took a glance at where the first-round picks gleaned in the Donovan Mitchell trade were trending. Today, let’s take a peek at what’s going on in Minnesota.

First a look at the first-round picks owed to Utah.

2023 first-round pick
2025 first-round pick
2026 pick swap
2027 first-round pick
2029 first-round pick

The trade is off to a horrendous start for the T-wolves. It was a push-all-your-chips-in move that gives Minnesota limited options to maneuver around their salary cap problems moving forward.

Karl-Anthony Towns' contract will be off the books in the summer of 2024, but the money saved will be needed for Anthony Edwards' max contract and re-signing Jaden McDaniels.

Gobert's contract won’t come to an end until 2026, with a player option of $46 million. It’s a safe bet that Gobert will opt-in.

Unless the Timberwolves can find a way to trade the ex-Jazzman, they’ll be in salary cap hell for the duration of his contract. But good luck with that. With what’s owed on Gobert’s contract you couldn’t give him away, let alone get something of value in return.

Adding pieces this summer will be challenging while losing key contributors Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency is likely to happen.

However, working against Utah is Edwards and McDaniels possibly being Wolves for the duration of the picks. That does give Minnesota two solid players to build around, but how do they add to that?

The combination of the Timberwolves not being a draw for top-tier free agents and only owning two first-round picks through 2029 could spell trouble, but I don’t see a free fall as a bottom dweller anytime soon.

Bottom line

Utah is in a much better situation with the Timberwolves' picks than it is with Cleveland’s. Unfortunately for Jazz fans, Edwards is good enough to keep Minnesota relevant.

Then you have McDaniels signing a new deal in 2024 paired with some money to build after Gobert is gone. With no motivation to tank, the Timberwolves could still be a fringe playoff team for a while.

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and Twitter.

Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream podcasts!