Rudy Gobert Trade Rumors: Mavs Would Have 'Significant Interest' in Jazz Star

The Dallas Mavericks would reportedly have "significant interest" in center Rudy Gobert if the Utah Jazz made the big man available via trade this offseason.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon provided the report to ESPN's Zach Lowe on Friday's edition of The Lowe Post podcast (1:25:00 mark). He also added that Gobert would "love to play with [Mavs point guard Luka Doncic]."

The 29-year-old Gobert, a three-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA Team selection, is averaging 15.4 points and an NBA-high 14.6 rebounds in his ninth NBA season. He's played for the Jazz for his entire career.

It's fair to wonder whether the Jazz have gone as far as they can go with the two-star combination of Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, especially as Utah has struggled lately.

The 46-31 Jazz are fifth in the Western Conference but lost five straight until a 122-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. They started out 28-10 but soon went on a 2-11 slump that sent them tumbling out of the West's top tier.

Utah dominated last year's regular season en route to finishing first in the Western Conference, but the Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round during a series where point guard Mike Conley sat all but one game with a right hamstring strain.

Perhaps a trade could be in the works this offseason if the Jazz fail to make a dent in the playoffs, although it isn't as though Utah is uncompetitive with Mitchell and Gobert leading the way. Utah has reached the playoffs each year with the pair and is set to make its fifth straight postseason this year.

As for Dallas, the Mavs could be in the market for a big man after ending the Kristaps Porzingis era by trading KP to the Washington Wizards in February. Gobert would be a great fit in Dallas, which is tied for third in the Western Conference as Doncic tears up the league.

An already strong defense (sixth in efficiency, per Basketball-Reference) would get better with the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, Gobert is one of the most efficient offensive players in the league, shooting an NBA-high 71.2 percent from the field.

For now, the Mavs and Jazz are fighting for playoff positioning as everyone in the league looks up to the 62-14 Phoenix Suns.