Atlanta Hawks Receive: C Rudy Gobert, G Jordan Clarkson
Utah Jazz Receive: C Clint Capela, F/C John Collins, G Kevin Huerter
Hey, look! Another John Collins trade!
This deal has the Hawks taking a different direction. Instead of hoping to land Trae Young a co-star in the draft, they’re getting him a ready-made one in Rudy Gobert.
Gobert won’t fit everyone’s definition of a star player, but he should. Sure, he’s got some offensive limitations. He also happens to be the best rim protector in basketball. That’s critical for the Hawks. Trae Young, for all of his offensive mastery, is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA.
Meanwhile, this deal should allow the Jazz to make overtures towards Donovan Mitchell. They’re losing the best player in his deal, but they’re getting deeper. Capela will make up a fairly large portion of Gobert’s production, and Hohn Collins should add a new wrinkle to their attack.
Oftentimes, NBA trades find one team rebuilding, and another team pushing their chips in. This one is more of a lateral move. Both of these teams will hope that by changing their look, they can be more competitive in 2022-23.
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If all goes according to plan, that ought to be a realistic goal for both.