NBA Trade Rumors: Toronto Raptors interested in acquiring former DPOY if he is made available this summer
With the 2022 NBA offseason approaching, trade rumors have started doing the rounds, with one of the most recent being the Toronto Raptors' interest in Rudy Gobert.
Both Toronto and the Utah Jazz got eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. After going 3-0 down against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Raptors attempted to get back in the tie but were eventually sent home in Game 6.
Utah had a more disappointing run as they failed to take advantage against a short-handed Dallas Mavericks team. The Mavericks were without Luka Doncic for the first three games, but the Jazz only managed one victory in that stretch.
Although the Toronto Raptors pride themselves on their big men being able to switch to guards, they lack a paint presence, especially on the defensive end.
According to NBA insider Ian Begley, the Raptors are one of the teams that are interested in Rudy Gobert to some level:
"The Toronto Raptors are among the teams who would have a degree of interest in trading for him if he’s made available, sources say. Would Brooklyn be interested in Gobert? The Nets would need to include Ben Simmons in almost any trade to satisfy salary requirements."
The Toronto Raptors are among the teams who would have a degree of interest in trading for Rudy Gobert if he’s made available, per @IanBegley https://t.co/WThRrGdKOc
A breakup in Utah is very likely, especially as the players argued with each other throughout their first-round series. There was footage showing Danuel House Jr. in a heated exchange with Bojan Bogdonavic on the bench after a timeout was called.
There have also been reports of Gobert issuing a "him or me" ultimatum to the Jazz front office regarding Donovan Mitchell.
Considering all these incidents, there is a high chance the franchise will make major changes to its roster and perhaps its coaching staff.
Rudy Gobert is at "him or me" point with Donovan Mitchell and will demand that one of them be traded in next few days, per @realOCsports
“Rudy feels that his own numbers are consistent or getting better, while Don is D liability and is falling off in terms of explosiveness” https://t.co/ilIJRMXX2z
How can Rudy Gobert improve the Toronto Raptors?
The Toronto Raptors had the 10th-best defense of the 2021-22 season. They have a chance to bolster that defense with Rudy Gobert. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year is an elite rim protector and will be a big boost for Toronto.
Unfortunately, he is not a huge producer offensively. He averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks this season. However, playing in a team that has players with impressive court vision could unlock a new level of his offense.
Nonetheless, the big man will do the team a wealth of good, especially in the Eastern Conference, where a lot of the action flows through the big men. However, to be more than a rim protector, the Stifle Tower would need to include more moves to his offensive arsenal.
There is not a lot going on for Gobert in the post. Most of his points come from second-chance buckets or finishing at the end of a lob pass. To fit in nicely with the team, he would have to give himself an edge offensively.