Utah Jazz: 3 potential trade destinations for Rudy Gobert

Utah Jazz trade Gobert to the Chicago Bulls

If the relationship between Mitchell and Gobert is irreparable, or Utah has no intention of giving Gobert the supermax extension, they can get nice value here from the Chicago Bulls, headlined by Wendell Carter Jr, a 20-year-old big who possesses all the tools to be an effective modern-day center.

Carter’s biggest issue thus far has been staying healthy, he missed almost half of his rookie season due to injury and missed 22 games in this shortened season. In the games he did play this year, Carter averaged 11.3 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game, shooting an efficient 53.4 percent from the field on eight shots per game. Carter would bring more space to Utah’s offense and could groom into a nice rim protector under the tutelage of Quin Snyder.

As for the rest of the trade package, Utah adds two 3-and-D wings in Otto Porter Jr. and Chandler Hutchinson. Utah has shown interest in Porter in the past, first as a replacement for Gordon Hayward in 2017, and during the 2019 trade deadline. The fit of Porter in Utah is obvious, a 6’8″ wing with the ability to defend multiple positions, and an efficient scorer, boasting a career 40.4 3-point percentage.

After being dealt to Chicago last season, Porter averaged 17.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game on 48.3/48.8/90.6 shooting splits in 15 games. Porter’s 2020 season was decimated by injury, but poses as a prime bounce-back candidate next year as his contract is set to expire after 2021.

Chandler Hutchinson, a 23-year-old with a similar build to Porter, is another nice addition for Utah. A first-round pick in 2018, Hutchinson provides Utah with another upside three and D prospect.

The Chicago Bulls makes sense as a Gobert trade destination for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Gobert would slide in and immediately improve a defense that was 27th in the league in blocks per game and 21st in opponent points in the paint this past season, according to NBA.com. Additionally, Gobert would add more length to a Bulls lineup that was already lanky with a seven-foot Lauri Markannen, a 6’6″ Zach Lavine, and 6’4″ Coby White.

Furthermore, I believe a goal of new executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas from the get-go will be to change the culture of the organization. Adding Gobert, and adding another wing with this year’s lottery selection, potentially Deni Avdija, Isaac Okoro or Tyrese Maxey, can put Chicago on the map as a playoff team in 2021, and something for the organization to build off of going forward.

Karnisovas comes from the Denver Nuggets organization where continuity, culture and building through the draft are essentialities, and trading for Gobert can be Chicago’s first step in that direction.