As we’ve established, the Boston Celtics are the masterclass of the NBA’s Eastern Conference right now. As usual, the Khris Middleton absence disclaimer is in play here, but the Cs otherwise had the toughest road to the NBA Finals possible in this year’s bracket.
This isn’t guaranteed to be the case for long. The NBA offseason is perpetually where teams change their fortunes and make the necessary moves to switch up their trajectory for the following campaign.
2022’s offseason may have its prize set for contenders in need of a frontcourt upgrade: Rudy Gobert.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported that there is traction for a Gobert deal to the Chicago Bulls:
"“Bleacher Report previously illustrated the Atlanta Hawks’ and Toronto Raptors’ interest in acquiring Gobert. As Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer first mentioned, Chicago has also emerged as a potential trade destination for Gobert, sources told B/R.”"
The Bulls acquiring Rudy Gobert doesn’t put them ahead of the Boston Celtics
Even if that were to happen, a core of Gobert, DeMar DeRozan, and whoever else isn’t included in the transaction–Zach LaVine is a free agent so he may bolt on his own terms–would not put Chicago past the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Gobert could help these 3 teams close the gap with the Cs were he to be dealt there:
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets had the most disastrous 2021-22 season outcome possible: a four-game sweep at the hands of the team they so triumphantly celebrated taking down in five games last year. The shoe was on the other foot for both Boston and Brooklyn this time around, with the No. 2-seeded Cs sending their opponent into the offseason questioning every aspect of their team makeup.
Steve Nash isn’t likely to go anywhere, but this roster could be due for a shuffle. If you ask the Houdini, Ben Simmons isn’t a fit in the shark-infested waters of the New York market, but could be in low-key Salt Lake City. Simmons and Donovan Mitchell, once on the other side of the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year debate, can join forces in hopes of advancing past the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Package Simmons, Cam Thomas, and whatever draft compensation the Jazz may be seeking, and Utah and Brooklyn could create a ‘Big 3’ (Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gobert) in the county of Kings worthy of calling themselves a contender for the Eastern Conference crown.
Miami Heat
The Houdini sees the Miami Heat as a franchise that will be aggressive this offseason in improving considering how close they have been to the NBA Championship in the Jimmy Butler era.
There’s been some big-time trade-dreaming going on around here regarding the Heat, namely a blockbuster mock deal involving Joel Embiid and James Harden going to South Beach in the same transaction.
If the 76ers don’t want to let go of their MVP candidate big man in order to get out of a potential long-term deal for Harden, Miami can aim for a home-run instead of a grand slam and make a deal happen with Utah for Rudy Gobert instead.
Gobert is not the distributor that Adebayo is, and he scores several buckets less per game. But he is a former DPOY that cleans the glass at a much different level. Gobert is a far more efficient offensive player, one whose presence, by default, puts the ball more in the hands of Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro.
Miami would be on a different level defensively with Gobert in tow, and that could be the pendulum swing needed by the Heat to close what was a very slim margin between them and the Boston Celtics this past season.
Milwaukee Bucks
A Khris Middleton-Giannis Antetokounmpo-Rudy Gobert trifecta is a horrifying thought for just about any NBA fan that isn’t pulling for the Milwaukee Bucks. If Jon Horst had the chance to flip Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, and a future first-round pick for the ‘Stifle Tower’, there’d be serious issues for the Boston Celtics and their repeat Eastern Conference championship hopes.
Never mind that this would be the most cleverly nicknamed frontcourt in the history of the league. The ‘Greek Freak’ being flanked by another former Defensive Player of the Year would deter most drivers from rim-running at all, since it’d almost certainly end in vain.
The Bucks are a team that don’t necessarily need to tinker with their roster considering the last time it was fully healthy, a banner was raised. Still, in this day and age, it’s inconsiderate not to entertain trade proposals like this if you work in the Milwaukee front office.
If a ring-chasing point guard in free agency can be had for the MLE (Jalen Brunson perhaps?) the Bucks owe it to everyone to explore all Gobert trade options.