A mock trade between the Brooklyn Nets and the Utah Jazz involves a swap of Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas for one of the league’s best defenders Rudy Gobert.
The Salt Lake Tribune published an article with a trade idea for every team in the NBA, with the Nets sending troubled forward Ben Simmons and Cam Thomas to join Donovan Mitchell and company out in Utah.
The Tribune on the trade:
Anarchy! Yes, it’s a crazy gamble, but would be a true embrace of small-ball, as Simmons would give Utah a guy who (when healthy) can guard 1-5. And Thomas has the makings of a Jordan Clarkson-type.
Gobert’s trade availability is likely through the roof, as the team has been shopping the two-time Defensive Player of the Year over the last season. It also doesn’t help that relations between Gobert and Mitchell are complex.
This trade would make sense when considering the fact that the Nets could use a defensive-minded big man next to their elite scoring tandem of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. While the Nets would be taking a risk here while not even seeing Simmons in a Brooklyn uniform, it is still something worth considering if this were to happen.
With Mitchell becoming increasingly more frustrated with Utah’s front office, it is possible for the Jazz to send Gobert away in an attempt to make Mitchell happy.
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