Windhorst: Warriors could be in mix for potential Gobert trade

With the NBA playoffs well underway, trade rumors involving the Warriors continue to swirl. 

Whispers of rumored interest by Golden State to acquire Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert are making headlines, and this time the hearsay was brought up by Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

During a recent episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst reiterated speculation currently making the rounds in league circles that the Warriors could make an offseason trade for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

The Jazz fell short of expectations in their sixth consecutive playoff appearance this season, falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round. As the team looks to rebuild around Donovan Mitchell, Utah reportedly is aiming to ship Gobert to a new team.

Windhorst said word on the street is that Golden State could be Gobert’s landing spot as part of a trade that could also include Andrew Wiggins. 

“I have heard that rumor out there… I guess it would be based around Andrew Wiggins,” Windhorst said (h/t 95.7 The Game). 

"... If the Warriors win the title, I don’t know if they’re looking for a major shake-up. But the Warriors don’t have that big and they have young players and they have the Wiggins contract. … I don’t think they should be considered a leader, but I think that’s on the board. I’ve definitely heard that.”

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The same rumor was previously speculated on by a Western Conference executive, who told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney much of the same last month -- but that the Warriors could send both Wiggins and James Wiseman to Utah in exchange for Gobert. 

The speculation from Windhorst and the unnamed exec makes some sense, as Golden State’s No. 2 ranked defense would benefit greatly from Gobert’s 7-foot-1 frame, and Wiggins has just one year left on his contract with a cap hit of nearly $34 million.

But Gobert is still owed a hefty sum of $120 million over the next three seasons, not to mention his long-running beef with the Warriors’ own defensive juggernaut Draymond Green. It’s not entirely impossible that the two big men could go from trading barbs to trading passes, but Dub Nation will have to wait and see if the All-Star makes his way to the Bay.

RELATED: Gobert breaks silence on his 'beef' with Draymond

Golden State is in the middle of its Western Conference semifinals matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, where they hold a 1-0 lead headed into Game 2 at FedExForum Tuesday night.

The outcome of the Dubs’ current playoff run will likely determine how and where they decide to upgrade in the offseason, if at all.

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