Report: Jazz Have Engaged in Rudy Gobert Trade Talks 'With Various Teams'

The Utah Jazz are on the brink of undergoing a sea change. In the wake of Quin Snyder's resignation, the Jazz are on the hunt for a new head coach.

Undoubtedly, the candidates the Jazz interview for their head-coaching vacancy will want clarity on the future of the team's All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. While the early indication is that it would take more than a king's ransom to pry Mitchell off of Utah's hands, Gobert could be a different story.

Despite Gobert's defensive prowess, he offers little by way of scoring, and that is what the modern NBA has become. Thus, Gobert could be expendable, even though his value — relative to what the Jazz can extract in return for a trade — is questionable. But is that a bridge the Jazz are actually willing to cross?

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer says that indeed, Jazz executive Danny Ainge, and presumably GM Justin Zanik, have actively crossed the Gobert Rubicon, discussing the center with various suitors that have called to inquire.

The Jazz have been one of the more active teams during early offseason trade conversations in recent weeks, most notably featuring All-Star center and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Utah has not entertained rival teams' overtures to steal away All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, sources said, but the Jazz front office has engaged various teams in Gobert discussions.

Fischer goes on to recapitulate the Toronto Raptors' and Atlanta Hawks' interest in Gobert, but tossed in a new team with eyes on the defensive maven. Fischer reports that the Chicago Bulls are also keen on Gobert.

Any deal that lands Gobert with the Bulls would almost certainly include Nikola Vucevic, the two-time All-Star center Chicago obtained from the Orlando Magic prior to the 2021 trade deadline. Vucevic's contract will expire at the end of the 2022-23 season, and with Zach LaVine set for a lucrative free agency, Bulls brass has been considering their options at center since February's trade deadline, sources said.

If a Bulls-Jazz trade occurred and Vucevic landed in Utah, it would free up roughly $12 million on the 2022-23 salary cap. That's the other problem with Gobert.

Although he's a dyed-in-the-wool Jazz O.G., it's hard to build a contender when your non-scoring center is consuming nearly $40M each year on the salary cap. Acquiring Vucevic in a prospective Gobert trade would release that albatross from around Utah's neck.

What ultimately happens with Gobert's future? Is Mitchell still bought-in on the Jazz? That's not a question fans will ever have to ask about Gobert.

But Mitchell's allegiances now, alas, are very much open to interpretation.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.