Dec 9, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts to Utah Jazz fans welcoming him back prior to their game at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images

NBA Rumors: Jazz Nearly Traded Rudy Gobert to Shocking Team

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated May 3, 2025 10:14 AM ET

It was only a few years ago that the Utah Jazz decided to make their bold, franchise-changing shift with their blockbuster trade involving Rudy Gobert, sending him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for an assortment of future assets and picks and return.

Minnesota, at the time, looked at Gobert as a strong pairing with other big man Karl-Anthony Towns to put together a strong, towering frontcourt, and as a result, they made sure to forfeit a major price in exchange for his services.

Yet when looking back, it seems there may have been another team outside of the Timberwolves who had a chance to acquire Gobert in a deal instead of his inevitable landing spot.

ESPN insider Tim MacMahon revealed on The Hoop Collective podcast that the Dallas Mavericks were the team atop Gobert's quiet list of preferred destinations when his time was up with the Jazz, and even became a concept both general manager Nico Harrison and owner Mark Cuban entertained at the time.

"It was pretty obvious that [Rudy Gobert] wanted to spend his whole career in Utah, but when it was pretty obvious that might not be the way that things were going that last year, Dallas was at the top of his kind of silent list of preferred destinations," MacMahon said. "And there was a time where Mark Cuban and Nico Harrison were both very interested in that idea.”

So what was the hangup on the potential deal sending Gobert to Dallas? For one, the Mavericks didn't have the bounty of assets to match what the Timberwolves were giving up, but at the same time, head coach Jason Kidd seemingly wasn't the biggest supporter of Gobert's addition, according to MacMahon.

"The Mavericks knocked the Jazz out of the playoffs that year. Jason Kidd was not so excited about the idea of having Rudy Gobert," McMahon continued. "They couldn’t have outbid the Timberwolves anyway, but then the Mavericks came around on this: ‘Yeah, we’ll get half the production on 20% of the salary.’ And they gave JaVale McGee 20% of the salary."

Had the Mavericks put together enough to get Gobert on the roster, it would've been an interesting domino to fall in the Luka Doncic saga, and perhaps one that could've had a critical butterfly effect as to how the events would soon shake out between Dallas and their franchise superstar.

Instead, it was the Timberwolves getting the deal done with Utah, sending over four first-rounders, a pick swap, the draft rights to Walker Kessler, and a few other players in the mix. Minnesota is now trying to make their second-straight conference finals appearance, the Jazz remain well within their rebuild process, and as for Dallas, things are looking a bit bleak, to say the least.

This article first appeared on Utah Jazz on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: