« Rudy Gobert’s trade screwed up everything »

To date, and pending a possible outcome in the Kevin Durant case, Rudy Gobert is the biggest player involved in a trade this summer. And for a league star, the French pivot trade has absolutely destroyed the market for other franchises.

When Dejounte Murray, a young All-Star coming off the best season of his career, was sent to Atlanta in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, all observers and fans thought that the summer would be hot in the NBA, with major movements in the four corners of the league… A feeling reinforced a few days later by the departure of Rudy Gobert towards Minnesota.

But since this XXL exchange, nothing has happened on the side of the biggest names, despite the many rumors and the many controversies. For example, Donovan Mitchell is announced to the Knicks with some insistence, but negotiations would be totally blocked due to a player. Likewise, Kevin Durant is still a Net despite the monstrous ultimatum given to its leaders.

Bobby Portis accuses Rudy Gobert in the file… KD

The question is therefore to know why this market, which was so boiling a month ago, is now completely at a standstill? According to Bobby Portis, speaking with Chris Haynes and Yahoo! Sports, everything would be the fault of Rudy Gobert, or rather of the enormous consideration received by the Jazz in this trade. The Bucks player doesn’t see another franchise spending so much on an All-Star:

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the Kevin Durant situation, I think it’s the Rudy Gobert trade that’s slowing things down. Minnesota had to spend a lot, like 5 or 6 players, Draft picks, which makes about ten players in all! I don’t want to compare the two of course, but in this context, if I’m Brooklyn, I need the whole franchise in exchange!

Seriously, it’s still Kevin Durant, no matter what he does on social media, he’s still a great basketball player. He’s undefendable, he’s tough, and he’s got a whole team to slow him down. It is necessarily a complicated situation for the leaders of the Nets. I know for a fact that they don’t really want to trade it.

According to Bobby Portis, the fact that Rudy Gobert was exchanged for a dozen players completely pits the negotiations for Kevin Durant, who is a much more talented player than the French pivot. Looking at this trade, Nets executives are entitled to ask for some very talented players, but also a lot of good Draft picks, a price no one wants to pay right now.

This summer, Rudy Gobert serves as a reference in franchises who want to set up exchanges. Indeed, potentially selling teams expect at least as good consideration, which is not easy to obtain in negotiations.