Jazz trades star Gobert; Lavine stays with Bulls
The Utah Jazz agreed to trade star center Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, ESPN reported Friday (Saturday, Phl time) amid a welter of free agency deals that included Zach LaVine’s $215-million decision to stay with the Chicago Bulls.
ESPN said France’s Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, would head to Minnesota in exchange for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, No. 22 draft pick Walker Kessler and four first-round NBA Draft picks.
The 30-year-old Gobert has spent all nine of his NBA seasons with Utah, where he has helped the Jazz reach the playoffs for six straight years. He averaged 15.6 points per game, a league-leading 14.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks last season.
In Minnesota, the player dubbed the “Stifle Tower” will be teaming with another star big man in Karl-Anthony Towns, who has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $224 million extension.
Earlier in the day, LaVine’s agents announced the coveted free agent had agreed to a five-year maximum deal worth $215 million to remain with the Bulls.
Klutch Sports Group also announced that Jusuf Nurkic has agreed to a four-year contract worth $70 million to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers and John Wall has agreed to a two-year deal worth $13.2 million to play for the Los Angeles Clippers.
The deals come on the first full day of NBA free agency for the 2022-23 campaign. Most deals are announced by agents or reports but no actual NBA contracts can be signed before Wednesday (Thursday, Phl time).
Other reported deals struck in the first hours of NBA free agency have center Mitchell Robinson staying with the New York Knicks, according to ESPN and the New York Daily News, on a four-year deal worth $60 million while Gary Payton II joins Portland on a three-year deal for $28 million, also according to ESPN.
Spanish guard Ricky Rubio, 31, has reportedly reached a deal on a threeyear contract worth $18 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The free agency negotiating period had barely opened on Thursday when it was reported that two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic planned to sign a five-year $270 million extension with the Denver Nuggets -- the largest contract in NBA history.
Devin Booker has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $224 million deal to stay in Phoenix while young Memphis star Ja Morant is expected to ink a five-year extension worth $193 million.