Ben Simmons to the Jazz?

SALT LAKE CITY — As the Utah Jazz continue to usher in a new era with the recent departure of former head coach Quin Snyder and the anticipated release of their new rebranded logo and uniforms that are set to drop this Friday, several trade rumors have begun to surface surrounding Rudy Gobert. While nothing has yet to be confirmed and the Jazz have made no formal action regarding the trade of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), some of these rumors are certainly worth noting.

Jazz receive: Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, 2022 1st round pick (No. 18), 2026 2nd round pick
Bulls receive: Rudy Gobert

The Bulls have been one of the primary teams rumored to have interest in Gobert and to be honest, this is certainly one of the more intriguing trades. Having been in the league for 12 years, Vucevic is certainly past his prime but he’s still a very talented big man. Nearly the polar opposite from Gobert’s playstyle, Vucevic is a knockdown shooter who stretches the floor. While you do give up a considerable amount of paint-presence, Vucevic could still hold down the paint as he’s averaged roughly 11 rebounds and one block over the course of his career.

White is also an intriguing piece as the young guard has shown a lot of potential and could be a nice replacement at the one spot instead of Mike Conley. For the 2021 season, White averaged 12.7 points, three rebounds and 2.9 assists. Additionally, having the No. 18 pick would not be a bad asset as the Jazz dont have a single selection in this year’s draft.

Jazz receive: John Collins, Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter, 2022 1st round pick (No. 16)
Hawks receive: Rudy Gobert

Arguably the most enticing trade of the ones to be rumored, making a deal with Atlanta could be the best opportunity to remain competitive and give the Jazz what they need to excel.

Beginning with John Collins, this borderline All-Star has shown a ton of potential in his young NBA career, averaging 16.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game through four seasons. With a respectable paint-game, good jump shot, and willingness to throw his body around, Collins would be a stellar addition to the roster.

As for the rest of the trade, Capela is a worthy replacement for Gobert who may not bring as much of a presence to the table, but you really don’t lose that much. Hunter is also a young and promising wing that could add some much needed length and athleticism. Additionally, the No. 16 pick would be the cherry on top as previously mentioned, the Jazz don’t have one.

If the Jazz are indeed going to part with Gobert, this is the trade they should make as it’s the most bang for their buck and helps them remain competitive with a respectable replacement, and some much needed length and athleticism down the wings.

Jazz receive: Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon
Pacers receive: Rudy Gobert

For some time, Jazz fans have been somewhat obsessed with the idea of pairing Malcolm Brogdon with Donovan Mitchell. From the time he was traded three years ago to the Indiana Pacers, Brogdon has shown flashes of stardom while averaging 18.9 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds in a Pacers uniform. Alongside Mitchell, that could become one of the most dangerous backcourts in the league with Mitchell’s scoring capabilities and Brodgons all around stellar guard play.

In terms of Myles Turner, he’s also a formidable replacement for Gobert who has been in the DPOY conversation before and might be worth taking a risk on, especially with Brogdon as part of the deal.

Jazz receive: Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton
Nets receive: Rudy Gobert

This might be the least intriguing of the rumored trades and not just because Jazz fans have a sour taste in their mouth due to the fact that Ben Simmons stole the Rookie of the Year award from Donovan Mitchell back in 2018. Over the last few years, Simmons has caused quite a few problems and even held out on the Philadelphia 76ers, forcing them to trade him to Brooklyn. Even once he reached Brooklyn, Simmons was reluctant to take the court and left his team hanging in the first round of the playoffs.

Overall, despite Simmons upside and the cheap price for an up and coming power forward in Nic Claxton, giving up such a loyal and consistent defender in Gobert is not worth whatever potential Simmons may still possess.