Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert Makes Enes Kanter Expendable

The 2015 NBA All-Star weekend is full of wonderful thrill and excitement.

During the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, inside of the Barclays Center arena stood Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. The 7’1″, 245-pound center from France was the tallest player in the game, and played even larger when he stood inside of the paint. When Gobert played against the U.S. team, it looked as if he was ready to turn the corner with his career.

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There was no player on the court that could physically check him, or stop him from asserting his will.

Matt Winer was doing the play-by-play and donned him the nickname “Don’t Go-There,” a clever pun with Gobert’s name.

Whether Gobert was blocking Mason Plumlee to seal the game, blocking Nerlens Noel‘s left-handed dunk attempt, or blocking Victor Oladipo with two hands, it didn’t matter.

Gobert reminded everyone that as long as he’s on the court, it’s still Swat Lake City. Gobert played well during the Rising Stars Challenge, so well that he almost won the Most Valuable Player award over Andrew Wiggins. Gobert finished with a common Gobert-like game with 18 points, 12 rebounds, one steal and three blocked shots.

Watching Gobert play on Friday night was once again more evidence that he’s the future at center for the Jazz.

However, even though Gobert looks like the future for the Jazz at the center position, he’s currently the backup to Enes Kanter. Recently there have been talks about Kanter wanting to get traded from the Jazz in order to start fresh in a new place. If that’s the case then the Jazz should lend their ears and listen to his request.

The second that Kanter’s management expressed their opinion on how they feel their client should get traded was the metaphorical white flag wave that the Jazz needed to see. For a young team that is trying to become a legitimate playoff, and championship contender in the near future, they have to hold onto the principles and core values that they have established.

The chemistry on the team is one of the biggest reasons why the Jazz have a 19-34 record in the gauntlet known as the Western Conference. For a team that is on pace to win more games than last season, and set themselves up for a bigger year in 2015-16, the Jazz can’t afford for anyone to mess up the great chemistry that this roster already has.

For any player to want to get traded with nearly 30 games to finish the year is a bit of a blessing. For the Jazz franchise it works in a variety of ways. Kanter can now step into a different situation and become a better player. Gobert can finally get more minutes and become one of the top five centers in the game.

Also, the Jazz can manage to get another draft pick, and for a team that’s rebuilding, it’s as good as gold.

The Jazz should consider Kanter’s request because trading him and his contract will bring the organization an opportunity to collect younger, and more talented assets. If general manager Dennis Lindsey can acquire a first-round pick for Kanter, then it’s absolutely a deal that should get made. The Jazz are going to have a lottery pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft.

Getting a late first-round pick is where the value lies.

Rudy Gobert did not get MVP? C'mon. The Eiffel Tower just rose in Brooklyn. This is why #Jazz can now trade Enes Kanter.
— Chris Sheridan (@sheridanhoops) February 14, 2015

If Lindsay can manage to get a second pick in the first round then the Jazz will be set up for the future in a grand way. Some of the players that are excepted to become late first-round picks are Jerian Grant, Tyus Jones, Trey Lyles, Justin Anderson, and Bobby Portis, all of whom can step in from day one and make an impact on this young team.

Additionally, one of the reasons why the Jazz should trade Kanter is because of the center that they already have in Gobert. It’s not a secret, but when Gobert is on the floor the Jazz are a better defensive team.

For all of the offensive wizardry that Gobert lacks in his game compared to Kanter, defensively he makes up for it. When it comes to help-side defense there isn’t another player on the team that’s better than Gobert. The athletic center enjoys leaving his man on defense and making that gravity-defying blocked shot on the person his teammate is defending.

Also, because Gobert is athletic enough to make awesome defensive plays, he’s even fearless when it comes to defenders challenging him at the rim. The best part of Gobert’s game isn’t that he’s a great shot blocker, or an awesome rebounder, it’s the fact that he will always try to protect the paint regardless of the embarrassment he might face from being dunked on.

That courage and heart that Gobert possess is what inspires his teammates to play better defense and it’s a skill that makes Gobert very unique from the rest of his colleagues in the league.

Additionally, it might seem like a stretch but defensively, Gobert already is a top-five center. On the season Gobert’s numbers are pretty incredible for the limited amount of playing time that he plays. On the season Gobert is averaging 6.9 points on 62 percent shooting, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game in only 21.9 minutes a night.

Jan 16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) tries to block the shot of Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) during the fourth quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Utah Jazz won the game 94-85. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Even in the limited playing time Gobert is No. 4 in the league when it comes to swatting shots and only Serge Ibaka, DeAndre Jordan, and Anthony Davis average more blocks per game–all of them start for their respective teams.

What’s more insane is that Gobert’s PER is 21.67 is good enough for No. 23 in the league. Outside of Hassan Whiteside, George Hill, Nikola Vucevic, Derrick Favors, and Brandon Wright, every other player ranked in front of him has made the All-Star Game. What that means is Gobert is already in good company and he has the potential to become an All-Star at his position.

The Jazz should look at all suitors for Kanter and they should take nothing less than a first-round pick from any team. On the year, Kanter is playing like he’s finally figured out how to stay effective on the court.

For a 22-year-old center, and a former No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, any team who takes a gamble on Kanter is going to get someone who’s a productive player and that understands how to score in the low post, so it’s a safe bet.

Kanter defensively is a willing defender and he’s still 6’11”, 245 pounds with a lot of strength so he can hold his own inside of the paint. Because of his combination of strength and skill, this year Kanter is averaging 7.8 rebounds per night.

Should the Jazz trade Kanter, which they should, then their franchise will have more important tasks on their hands.

Like figuring out where the “Welcome to Swat Lake City” banner is going to hang.

Next: Can We Consider Gordon Hayward An Elite Small Forward?

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