REASON T-WOLVES WOULD DO THIS TRADE
They reset the roster around Anthony Edwards
By 2026, the Wolves are fully committed to Ant as the franchise. Gobert is aging and extremely expensive, while Jalen Green + Walker Kessler give them a younger, cheaper, longer-term core.
Massive financial flexibility
Gobert’s contract is a major cap obstacle. Moving him gives Minnesota the room to:
Extend McDaniels long-term
Add multiple role players
Stay flexible instead of being locked into aging salary
Jalen Green = a high-upside scoring partner for Ant
In 2026, Minnesota wants:
A ballhandler
Shot creator
Secondary scorer
Jalen Green gives them a 23–24-year-old potential 25-point scorer who fits Ant’s timeline perfectly.
Walker Kessler replaces 70% of Gobert’s role on a cheap deal
He gives Minnesota:
Elite rim protection
Solid rebounding
Young energy
A DEFENSIVE ANCHOR for the next decade
At 1/10th the cost of Gobert.
It avoids Minnesota losing value later
Gobert at age 34–35 won’t be worth much. This trade converts him into two long-term pieces while the Wolves still hold leverage.
REASON JAZZ WOULD DO THIS TRADE
They get an unprotected 1st-round pick
Unprotected picks are gold for rebuilding teams. Utah is still collecting assets for a long-term rebuild. An unprotected 1st could easily turn into a top-10 pick, especially if Minnesota declines later.
This is EXACTLY the type of asset Danny Ainge loves.
Leonard Miller fits Utah’s young core
Leonard Miller is:
6'10"
Skilled ball-handler for his size
High-motor rebounder
Improving scorer
Only 22–23 in 2026
Utah loves long, athletic, developmental forwards (similar to Lauri Markkanen and Taylor Hendricks).
Miller gives them:
A long-term development project
Position versatility
A chance to turn him into a starting PF
He is absolutely the type of player Ainge wants to gamble on.
Utah is stockpiling future assets
The Jazz are in the middle of a rebuild and want:
Young players
Draft capital
Long-term swings
They’re not chasing wins immediately. Adding a 1st + two 2nds fits perfectly with their plan.
Utah becomes even more flexible for a future star trade
Every extra asset Danny Ainge acquires increases his ability to:
Package multiple picks
Trade for a star
Move up in the draft
Make a consolidation trade later
This trade gives them exactly that kind of ammo.
REASON SUNS DO THIS TRADE
They desperately need an elite rim protector in 2026
By 2026:
The Suns’ defense ranks poorly
They struggle against Jokic, Gobert, Wembanyama, Sabonis, etc.
Rudy Gobert instantly fixes their biggest weakness: interior defense and rebounding.
Even at 33–34 years old, he’s still:
A top-tier rim protector
A good defensive organizer
Reliable, durable, and low-maintenance
He gives Phoenix something they absolutely do not have.
✅ 2. Their championship window is closing — Gobert extends it
Gobert helps them compete RIGHT NOW:
Booker + Gobert pick-and-roll
The Suns become a top-10 defense again
This is a win-now move, not a future gamble.
✅ 3. Jalen Green is no longer a great fit in 2026
By 2026, the Suns would move on from Jalen Green because:
He still needs the ball a lot
He’s inconsistent
He doesn’t fit next to Booker (same position)
Phoenix cannot afford a “development project”
They need defense and reliability — NOT another high-volume scorer.
So Phoenix turns an uncertain player into a guaranteed defensive anchor.
✅ 4. Gobert solves the KD/Beal/Booker weakness
By 2026:
KD is slower defensively
Beal is an average defender at best
Booker is carrying offensive and defensive load
Gobert covers these issues by:
Controlling the paint
Cleaning up perimeter mistakes
Forcing teams to rethink attacking Phoenix
This makes the Suns MUCH more balanced.
✅ 5. The pick swap helps their asset drought
Phoenix has almost no draft picks because of:
The Durant trade
The Beal trade
Other swaps and protections
Getting a 1st-round pick swap in 2026 gives them:
A chance to move up
Future trade flexibility
Added value despite being capped out
Even a pick swap is valuable for a team with limited future assets.