JAZZ SHIP GOBERT TO WOLVES FOR 4 PLAYERS, PICK HAUL

The Utah Jazz agreed to trade star center Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, ESPN reported on Friday amid a rush of free agency deals that included Zach LaVine’s $215-million decision to stay with the Chicago Bulls.

ESPN said France’s Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, would head to Minnesota in exchange for Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, No. 22 draft pick Walker Kessler and four first-round National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft picks.

The 30-year-old Gobert has spent all nine of his NBA seasons with Utah, where he has helped the Jazz reach the playoffs for six straight years.

Last season, Gobert averaged 15.6 points per game, a league-leading 14.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

In Minnesota, the player dubbed the “Stifle Tower” will be teaming with another star big man in Karl-Anthony Towns, who has reportedly agreed to a fouryear, $224 million extension.

Earlier on Friday, LaVine’s agents announced the coveted free agent had agreed to a fiveyear maximum deal worth $215 million to remain with the Bulls.

Klutch Sports Group also announced that Jusuf Nurkic has agreed to a four-year contract worth $70 million to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers and John Wall has agreed to a two-year deal worth $13.2 million to play for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The deals come on the first full day of NBA free agency for the 2022-23 campaign. Most deals are announced by agents or reports but no actual NBA contracts can be signed before Wednesday.

LaVine, 27, helped last year’s US Olympic team bring home Tokyo gold and then completed a second straight NBA All-Star campaign with 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game over 67 contests for the Bulls.

After missing the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, Chicago went 46-36 and made the postseason, losing to Milwaukee in the first round. LaVine underwent left knee surgery in May.

Bosnian big-man Nurkic, 27, has spent the past six seasons with Portland after playing his first three NBA campaigns for Denver.

Nurkic averaged 15.0 points, a career-high 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals a game for the Trail Blazers last season.

Portland went 27-55 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013.