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According to an NBA Western Conference executive, the Golden State Warriors are expected to pursue Rudy Gobert if the Utah Jazz make him available. Gobert is one of the best defensive big men in the league's history. He'd be invaluable in matchups against centers like Nikola Jokic, DeAndre Ayton and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Warriors will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. Golden State are back in the postseason after a brief two-year hiatus. Despite their current depth, the Warriors are rumored to be interested in the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner Gobert.
"If Rudy Gobert becomes available this summer, I think you'd find a lot of those veterans with the Warriors might want the team to make a run at him," the West exec told Sean Devaney of Heavy.com.
If the Warriors want to acquire Gobert, what would a potential deal with the Jazz look like? The aforementioned West exec believes the Warriors could offer a combination of Andrew Wiggins and James Wiseman in exchange for Gobert. He added:
"It would cost them Wiggins and Wiseman, but if you believe in Jordan Poole and Klay to man the wings for the next few years, I think the Warriors would have to consider it. Talent-wise, Wiggins and Wiseman for Gobert is a good deal for both sides."
It should be noted that this is just a rumor and should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, if the Jazz indeed trade Gobert to the Warriors for Wiggins and Wiseman, the salaries would match. The Warriors could add a few picks to sweeten the deal, especially if Utah decides to rebuild.
The Jazz are entering a make-or-break postseason with a lot of rumors regarding the relationship between Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. They are likely a first-round exit away from breaking the duo up or even going full rebuild, especially with Danny Ainge in the front office.
Golden State Warriors to face Denver Nuggets in first round
The Golden State Warriors are back in the playoffs after a two-year hiatus. They will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round. The Warriors will host Game 1 and 2 at the Chase Center, but Steph Curry remains a doubt.
Curry is recovering from a sprained left foot suffered on Mar. 16 that forced him to miss the rest of the regular season. In a statement by Warriors coach Steve Kerr, it appears the two-time MVP's status for Game 1 on Saturday is up in the air. Kerr said:
"We'll see how everything goes with Steph next week. There is a chance he could be ready for Game 1; there is a chance he might not. It's literally going to be a day-to-day thing as it unfolds this week. We'll know a lot more after the next few days when he's ramping up his work."
The Golden State Warriors lost their season series to the Nuggets 3-1. It should be noted that Draymond Green missed all four games against Denver this season. However, the Nuggets have been without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. for most of the season.
