Report: Hawks Remain Interested In Gobert
Jun 15, 2022, 3:44 PM
Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz defends Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – With the NBA season nearly coming to an end, trade rumors revolving around Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and the Atlanta Hawks continue to circulate.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, if Gobert is moved, the Hawks figure to be one of the team’s most likely to land his services.
“There has been plenty of talk among league personnel that some combination of Capela, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, and the No. 16 pick could be routed to Utah for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year,” Fischer wrote.
Latest offseason intel from around the league, starring Zach LaVine’s Bulls, the rebuilding Pacers, Atlanta’s trade talk, what’s next in Denver, and more @BR_NBA: https://t.co/LsWmR1kHF5
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 14, 2022
The trade would send the Jazz a replacement center for Gobert in Capela who has averaged a double-double each of the last five seasons, a high-level starter in Collins who averages more than 16 points per game for his career, and a rotation-level shooter in Huerter who the Jazz were rumored to like in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Capela, 28, Collins, 24, and Huerter, 23, would also decrease the average age of the Jazz current rotation by several years as Gobert, Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, and Bojan Bogdanovic are all 30 years or older.
Capela is owed $60 million over the next three seasons, Collins has three years and $75 million (with a fourth-year player option) remaining on his deal, while Huerter has four years and $65 million left on his first major NBA contract.
Gobert meanwhile has four years and nearly $170 remaining on his deal.
.@TheTraeYoung with the no-look alley-oop to Gobert 👀
(via @ATLHawks)pic.twitter.com/xvRRKIdsSl
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 17, 2020
The four-time All-NBA center would give the Hawks a defensive stalwart to team with All-Star Trae Young, while the Jazz would get more versatile building blocks, plus a valuable first-round pick in the proposed framework.
To make salaries work the Jazz would have to include other assets in the deal since they are over the NBA’s luxury tax heading into the summer. Players like the recently acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker and veteran Rudy Gay could be included in the trade to make the deal work using Fanspo’s Trade Machine.
Alexander-Walker may also satisfy Atlanta’s reported desire to add depth to the backcourt alongside Young.
“The Hawks are determined to free up playing time for promising big man Onyeka Okongwu ahead of his third professional season,” Fischer reported. “Atlanta has also been motivated to find a backcourt counterpart for Young.”
The Jazz and Hawks are both free to make trades since both have been eliminated from the playoffs, however, most teams hold off on trading players until closer to draft night which will be held next Thursday, June 23 in Brooklyn.
