It was the surprise of the night in the NBA: Rudy Gobert, nine years after his arrival in the “Great League”, leaves the Utah Jazz! The Minnesota Timberwolves indeed used great means, Friday July 1, to snatch the star of the Blues from his franchise based in Salt Like City. The Minneapolis franchise is sending five players (Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro) and four first-round draft picks (for the 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 drafts).
In the United States, Adrian Wojnarowski is law. The famous journalist from the ESPN channel acts as the official voice when a transfer is made between two Franchises. So when the latter announces on the networks that the tricolor pivot joins Minnesota, the info is considered official pending the validation of the contracts, by the North American league, Wednesday, June 6.
Utah is trading Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
In the hours that followed, Rudy Gobert confirmed the information, even if he has not yet named his future destination. “Utah!!!! I was just a kid from France when I came here nine years ago, but I felt welcomed and supported from day one”wrote on his Twitter account the Olympic vice-champion of Tokyo.
“I grew as a man and as a player in front of your eyes and I thank you for every moment I’ve had. Utah and its people will always hold a special place in my heart, thank you, the journey continues “, Gobert added.
Utah!!! I was just a kid from France when I got here 9 years ago… pic.twitter.com/TKmQ6tC4dH
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) July 2, 2022
At the Timberwolves, Rudy Gobert will form with local star Karl-Anthony Towns one of the most formidable duos in the racket, well supported by the nugget Anthony Edwards (20 years old, number 1 in the 2020 draft). At 30, the Frenchman will discover his second NBA franchise, nine years after being selected in 27th position in the first round of the 2013 draft by Utah.
With the Jazz, Gobert was voted best defender in the league three times, in 2018, 2019 and 2021. But the Olympic vice-champion of the Tokyo Games never managed to reach the NBA finals, despite six appearances in the play- off. This season, the Utah Jazz had also been eliminated in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks (4 wins to 2). This failure was undoubtedly a driving force behind the changes in Utah, which also parted ways with coach Quin Snyder. The Salt Lake City franchise will now rebuild around its star point guard Donovan Mitchell.
The Timberwolves had suffered the same fate against the Memphis Grizzlies, and chose the opposite solution. Rather than rebuild, they decided to try to win as quickly as possible by adding Gobert, even if it meant jeopardizing the future of the franchise in the long term. With the signing of the tricolor giant, Minnesota thus enters a new dimension: that of the outsiders for the supreme title.