Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Should our worst nightmares come true and the Utah Jazz have to move on from Rudy Gobert, here are five potential targets they could shoot for to pair with Donovan Mitchell.
About a week ago I proposed five star players the Utah Jazz could chase to pair with Rudy Gobert, should he need separating from his teammate Donovan Mitchell. It’s no secret that there has been a bit of a disconnect in the two All-Stars’ chemistry this season.
It became obvious when Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mitchell and Gobert had “some work to do” on their relationship with each other, after the NBA suspended its season indefinitely. Then this morning The Athletic reported that the relationship is “unsalvageable”.
While I personally would prefer the Jazz to do everything to hold onto Rudy Gobert, should the two All-Stars need a divorce, the more realistic outcome is that they choose Donovan Mitchell. He is younger and doesn’t hinder the Jazz’s salary cap as much as Gobert potentially could.
Additionally, the Jazz don’t have to worry about Donovan entering unrestricted free agency until 2024 at the absolute soonest. They can rebuild a roster centered around Donovan with the luxury of time on their side.
Given how much Mitchell has embraced the Salt Lake City community ever since being drafted here as a rookie, it’s not that bad of a scenario when you think about it. He’s great for public relations and marketing purposes, and even has his own brand of shoes.
He was on the cover of NBA 2K20 in China, and has been hitting the sticks quite often since being in quarantine the past month. He’s frequently in the discussion for best NBA players under 25 years old, and for a good reason. The dude can ball out.
Let’s get started with some players he pair well with to make a bright Utah Jazz future.
<img src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_108,h_108,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fjazz__108x108.png"> <div class="story-link-text-box"> <span class="call_to_action">Must Read</span> <h3 class="title-text" style="color: #00265D;">Gobert, Mitchell saga takes a dark turn</h3> <p class="read-now">Read now >></p> </div> </a> </div>
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<p>While I personally would prefer the Jazz to do everything to hold onto Rudy Gobert, should the two All-Stars need a divorce, the more realistic outcome is that they choose Donovan Mitchell. He is younger and doesn’t hinder the Jazz’s salary cap as much as Gobert potentially could.</p>
<p>Additionally, the Jazz don’t have to worry about Donovan entering unrestricted free agency until 2024 at the absolute soonest. They can rebuild a roster centered around Donovan with the luxury of time on their side.</p>
<p>Given how much Mitchell has embraced the Salt Lake City community ever since being drafted here as a rookie, it’s not that bad of a scenario when you think about it. He’s great for public relations and marketing purposes, and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/07/utah-jazz-d-o-n-issue-2-gets-official-release-date-price/">even has his own brand of shoes</a>.</p>
<p>He was on the cover of NBA 2K20 in China, and has been hitting the sticks quite often since being in quarantine the past month. He’s frequently in the discussion for best NBA players under 25 years old, and for a good reason. The dude can ball out.</p>
<p>Let’s get started with some players he pair well with to make a bright Utah Jazz future.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Honorable Mentions </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-82703 size-full" src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1192985378.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1192985378.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1192985378-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte Hornets. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Honorable Mentions</h3>
<p><strong>Eric Paschall package</strong></p>
<p>Mitchell said he grew up across the street from <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/pascher01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Eric Paschall</a>, and that friendship continues today. Paschall was drafted in the second round of last year’s draft, and got some unexpected big playing time with the Golden State Warriors this year.</p>
<p>He was one of the few bright spots, showing he is a legitimate NBA player, but beyond a role player, it’s hard to tell how far he will go in this league. Therefore, he gets an honorable mention.</p>
<p>The Warriors with Rudy Gobert and the Splash Brothers would be unstoppable, and maybe the Jazz would have an interest in their high draft pick this upcoming draft packaged with Paschall.</p>
<p><strong>Devonte’ Graham package</strong></p>
<p>The sophomore for the Charlotte Hornets had a breakout year. His 3-point stroke is lethal, and he would be a great complement to Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt <em>offensively</em>. It’s on defense where things get hairy.</p>
<p>The Hornets this season had the sixth worst defensive rating, and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grahade01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Devonte’ Graham</a> didn’t do much to help that. Beyond his age (25), outside shooting, and previous experience being Mitchell’s teammate, there’s not much of a case for the Jazz to chase Graham.</p>
<p><strong>Christian Wood</strong></p>
<p>It’s crazy to think that back on October, the Pistons were deciding on their final roster spot to be between <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsjo02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Joe Johnson</a> and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/woodch01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Christian Wood</a>. I was rooting for Iso Joe to make a comeback to the NBA after lighting up the Big 3 league in the summer, but the basketball gods had different plans.</p>
<p>The Pistons had a slew of injuries to most of their best players, and the ones that weren’t hurt were either traded or bought out from the team. This opened up major playing time for Wood, which he took full advantage.</p>
<p>He’s a good modern big with range and defensive ability, but his ceiling isn’t high enough to justify giving up Rudy Gobert.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Jazz poach from OKC </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-82693 size-full" src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1083443048.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1083443048.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1083443048-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, Los Angeles Clippers. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Shai Gilegous-Alexander</h3>
<p>Let me get this disclaimer out here: the Oklahoma City Thunder would be absolutely crazy to trade off <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilgesh01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander</a> at this point. The sophomore is going to be a star in the league for a while.</p>
<p>He’s leading their team in scoring, a team which was on track to place fifth in the Western Conference. He’s a ball hawk with his length, allowing him to grab lots of rebounds, steals, and blocks.</p>
<p>Him and Mitchell would make a good defensive backcourt, and so long as the Jazz surround those two with plenty of shooters on the perimeter, they would be a problem to contain for a long time.</p>
<p>The problem would be convincing Sam Presti and the Thunder to take on Rudy Gobert. They already have <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/adamsst01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Steven Adams</a> in place, whose made quite the mark in his time in Oklahoma City. The team is poised for a long term rebuild with their stash of future picks.</p>
<p>They could try to cash in all of those chips and acquire winning talent right now before <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/paulch01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Chris Paul</a> rides off into the sunset of his NBA career. Pairing Gobert with Paul, arguably the best passing point guard in the league right now, would be a good start to a contending team.</p>
<p>Then re-signing <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gallida01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Danilo Gallanari</a> this offseason would be key as well, with the final step being acquiring more depth to sustain the grind of an 82 game season and the postseason after that.</p>
<p>Like I said earlier, the Thunder would have to be crazy in order to do all of that right now. Now is a bad time for a team to try to jump into win-now mode, as the stacked Western Conference is set to get stronger next year.</p>
<p>But just for one second, imagine a starting five of Mitchell, SGA, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bogdabo02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Bojan Bogdanovic</a>, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealro01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Royce O’Neale</a>, and Adams taking the court with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/clarkjo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Jordan Clarkson</a> coming off the bench. Not a bad return for Gobert in my opinion.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Familiar Face </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-82694 size-full" src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2131,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1166989317.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell" width="3200" height="2131" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1166989317.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1166989317-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Cristiano Felicio, Team Brazil. Donovan Mitchell, Myles Turner, Team USA. (Photo credit should read NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Myles Turner</h3>
<p>Mitchell got to team up with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/turnemy01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Myles Turner</a> during the 2020 FIBA World Cup, and he also got to commentate the Rising Stars game with the current Indiana Pacer.</p>
<p>Turner was doing great in Circle City, developing to be a balanced center with rim protection and floor stretching ability. He plateued a little bit his third year, and after struggling with injuries this season, the Pacers discovered that center <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sabondo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Domantas Sabonis</a> has higher potential.</p>
<p>Turner would be a great fit in Utah, giving them the modern center that the Milwaukee Bucks currently appreciate with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lopezbr01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Brook Lopez</a>. Offensively, he allows Donovan Mitchell to drive to the hoop and attack in transition often, which is when he is at his best.</p>
<p>Defensively, Turner would anchor a solid defense. Admittedly he’s not as good as Rudy Gobert at protecting the paint, but definitely above average and still capable of shutting down playoff teams.</p>
<p>Perhaps a <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://twitter.com/CjChaze/status/1248662016882913281" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three team trade</a> with the Boston Celtics would make this work. The Celtics get Rudy Gobert, the Jazz get Myles Turner, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcderdo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Doug McDermott</a>, and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/holidaa01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Aaron Holiday</a>, and the Pacers get <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/haywago01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Gordon Hayward</a> (assuming he’s opted in the final year of his deal).</p>
<p>This way the Boston Celtics would finally have a big man to hold down the paint they’ve been lacking, the Pacers get a solid vet who also happens to be a hometown hero, and the Jazz get the build around Donovan Mitchell for the future.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> young center </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-82695 size-full" src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1368,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1127929404.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="1600" height="1368" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1127929404.jpeg 1600w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1127929404-768x657.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Deandre Ayton</h3>
<p>Last week I proposed the idea of pairing Rudy Gobert with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bookede01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Devin Booker</a>, only this time it happens in Phoenix. The Jazz would get to keep Mitchell and pair him with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aytonde01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Deandre Ayton</a>, the former number one overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Ayton got suspended for 25 games this season, and while he was out the Suns had a really great start to the season with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/baynear01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Aron Baynes</a> playing center. It wasn’t sustainable, and it only made sense for them to play minutes with Ayton at the center as he is their future.</p>
<p>In 30 games this season, Ayton averaged 19 points and 12 boards per game. He is only 21 years old, and has a bright future ahead of him if he keeps working hard. If develops into his full potential, the Jazz will have another great dynamic duo, possibly even better than what the Mitchell/Gobert duo was/is.</p>
<p>Coming out of the University of Arizona, Ayton was drawing comparisons to <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/townska01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Karl-Anthony Towns</a> and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/couside01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">DeMarcus Cousins</a> for how skilled he was with the potential to extend his shooting range past the 3-point line.</p>
<p>The Phoenix Suns have been out of the playoffs for a full decade now, only ever getting close just a couple times with a geriatric <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nashst01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Steve Nash</a> and a one hit wonder year with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dragigo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Goran Dragic</a>. You’d have to think they are getting antsy for a postseason by now.</p>
<p>Gobert would make them an instant playoff contender while the Jazz would be able to bet on a dynamic duo of Mitchell and Ayton peaking in the next five to 10 years.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Package from Peach State </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-82697 size-full" src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2130,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1210896790.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="3200" height="2130" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210896790.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210896790-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">John Collins, Atlanta Hawks. Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>John Collins</h3>
<p>Just like the Deandre Ayton proposal, this situation should be awfully familiar. Last week I also proposed a trade with the Atlanta Hawks to pair Gobert with a laser 3-point shooting guard, that being <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/y/youngtr01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Trae Young</a> of course.</p>
<p>Only this time, Gobert and Young are teamed up in Atlanta, not Utah. This would send third year big man <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/collijo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">John Collins</a> to the Utah Jazz.</p>
<p>I love this fit the most out of any of these players, because Collins can space the floor well for a big, and also run the pick and roll quite well. Atlanta Hawks coach <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://twitter.com/ChrisKirschner/status/1207075741541777408" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Pierce went as far as to say</a> that Collins and Trae Young are “the best pick and roll duo in the league”.</p>
<p>It’s clear that Collins has great offensive potential.</p>
<p>He is only 22 years old, and was born in Layton, Utah. He broke the 20 and 10 threshold this season, averaging 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game He made 59 treys in just 41 games played this season.</p>
<p>Maybe what Donovan Mitchell needs is a big that can shoot as well as attack the rim on the pick and roll. The Jazz defense would take a hard hit but the offense would be darn near unstoppable.</p>
<p>The Jazz could acquire Collins, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/huntede01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">De’Andre Hunter</a>, and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/capelca01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Clint Capela</a> in exchange for Gobert. It would take a little wheeling and dealing on Utah’s part to find Capela a new home, because he is just too good to play backup center to a 22 year old.</p>
<p>Utah would be able to replenish some young talent on the wings that they lost when they dealt away <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/allengr01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Grayson Allen</a> last summer, and they’d also get some assets in return for Capela.</p>
<p>The Young/Gobert duo would be able to challenge Trae’s rival since the day he was drafted, that being <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/doncilu01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Luka Doncic</a> and his partner <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/porzikr01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Kristaps Porzingis</a>. Meanwhile the Jazz would be able to punt towards 2025, right about when Mitchell and Collins are in the peak of their careers.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Deal with Chicago </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-82699 size-full" src=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2137,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1197217047.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert" width="3200" height="2137" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1197217047.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1197217047-768x513.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Wendell Carter Jr., Chicago Bulls. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>The Chicago Deal</h3>
<p>Last week I dreamt of <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lavinza01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Zach LaVine</a> in a Jazz uniform, but for now let’s ponder on what else the Bulls could give us. They have <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/markkla01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Lauri Markkanen</a>, a young big with a game similar to <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Dirk Nowitzki</a>. They have <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cartewe01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Wendell Carter Jr</a>, a more defensive minded big with some good physical tools.</p>
<p>They are slated to pick seventh in this year’s draft. Albeit a weak draft, the Jazz could have interest on picking there. They could also have interest in <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/porteot01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Otto Porter Jr</a>, who has a big contract and hasn’t lived up to it because of injury issues.</p>
<p>A healthy Porter would be great for the Jazz’s future, since he is only 26 years old and a good 3-and-D option on the wing.</p>
<p>Porter can opt in to a final year of his contract and make over 28 million dollars next season. In that case, the Jazz would have to include more players in the trade to match the incoming salaries of Porter with Markkanen and/or Carter.</p>
<p>There are several options on the table here, and this could instantly launch the Bulls to the top tier of the Eastern Conference while the Jazz would get several young pieces to experiment with and see what pans out.</p>
<p>For me personally, I like the idea of acquiring both Carter and Markkanen, with <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/y/youngth01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Thaddeus Young</a> to make the salaries match. The Bulls could even throw in their draft pick this year to sweeten the pot, and all of a sudden Utah may have four good players in return for the great Rudy Gobert.</p>
<p>More than anything though, I would just like for Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert to work out their differences and get back to being teammates and co-workers. They don’t have to be best friends to win games, they just need to work together on the court without causing drama in the locker room.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="5 stars to pair w/ Rudy if Don can't forgive him" data-url="https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/03/utah-jazz-stars-along-rudy/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/03/utah-jazz-stars-along-rudy/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 5 stars to pair w/ Rudy if Don can't forgive him </a> </div>
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<p>For what it’s worth, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2020/04/10/utah-jazz-don-forgive-rudy/"https://twitter.com/Joeingles7/status/1248623731355701250" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Ingles tweeted out a</a> “LOL” statement a little after The Athletic published their most recent article on Rudy and Don’s beef. Maybe this all is being blown out of proportion. I certainly hope so.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">