3 NBA superstars that will face their former teams this season
The nature of the NBA means that very few players end up playing for one franchise for their entire career. Players like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant played for only one team. But they are the exception, not the norm. Player mobility has become even more common in this era.
The summer of 2022 was no different as players were traded to revamp rosters across the league.
NBA superstar Rudy Gobert will face the Utah Jazz on Friday night for the first time since getting traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason.
Here are three players who will take on their former teams this season.
1. Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in early July after spending nine years with the Utah Jazz (2013-22).
The franchise decided to go on a full rebuild after failing to reach the Western Conference Finals for consecutive years.
CEO Danny Ainge decided that the NBA championship window was closed for the team and went into full rebuild. Rudy Gobert was the first to leave the team in exchange for five players and four first-round picks.
On Friday, Gobert will play his former team for the first time and admitted it would be weird to play Utah. He sat down to discuss the game with The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski:
"I mean, it's definitely gonna be weird. Those jerseys are a little different but still gonna be weird to play against someone with Utah on them. I mean, see all the coaches on the sideline even though Quin is not there anymore. It's still gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun. It's all love for me.
"I want to see guys succeed and I'm sure they want to see me succeed, too. So, it's gonna be fun."
Rudy Gobert faces his former team, the Utah Jazz, on Friday night: https://t.co/6av8dlvw37
The three-time NBA All-Star is coming off an impressive performance in his debut with the Timberolves. Rudy Gobert scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to help lead Minnesota to a 115-108 victory over the OKC Thunder.
Friday's game will be played at the Target Center in Minnesota. Gobert will visit Salt Lake City to face the Jazz on Dec. 9.
2. Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert's former teammate, also parted ways with the Utah Jazz this season and joined the Cleveland Cavaliers via a trade.
Following his trade, the Cavs immediately became an NBA title contender in the Eastern Conference. They became so for the first time since LeBron James left the franchise in the summer of 2018.
It is still unclear whether Mitchell really asked for a trade or if the team made that decision. The bottom line is that his time with the Jazz came to an end after five years (2017-22).
In return, Utah received three players, three first-round picks and two pick swaps.
Fast forward to October, Donovan Mitchell was impressive in his debut with the Cavs. He scored 31 points, on 12-for-21 shooting, including 2 of 8 from beyond the arc. He also had nine assists in 35 minutes on the floor.
Cleveland eventually lost to the Toronto Raptors (105-108) and started the NBA season on the wrong foot.
Donovan Mitchell will play his former team for the first time on Dec. 19, when Cleveland will host Utah. Mitchell will travel to Salt Lake City on Jan. 10.
3. Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson had a breakout year last season, helping the Dallas Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2011. He averaged 16.3 points and 4.8 assists in 79 games and was the second-best player on the team.
Brunson became a free agent in the NBA offseason and had to choose between the Mavericks and the New York Knicks. Eventually, he signed a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks, as he was seeking a leading role.
In his debut for New York, Brunson scored 15 points (7-for-18 shooting), along with six rebounds and nine assists in 36 minutes.
Jalen Brunson will play his former team on Dec. 3, when the Knicks host the Mavs at Madison Square Garden. On Dec. 27, Brunson will return to Dallas for the first time as an opponent.
