Jazz trade to select Trey Burke; Make second trade for Rudy Gobert

SALT LAKE CITY — The Jazz didn't wait until their 14th pick to select their first pick, they made a trade with the Timberwolves to select Trey Burke from Michigan, according to sources.

Burke was acquired in a trade with Minnesota that sent the Jazz's 14th and 21st pick to in exchange for the Wooden Award winner as National Player of the Year. Burke is a pure point guard who started to make his impact known in the NCAA Tournament. He hit big shots to lead the Wolverines to the Championship Game. He moved up the draft boards and now ends his journey with the Jazz.

"It was a long process. I'm happy it's over with," Burke said. "I'm happy I know where I'm going to end up. I want to thank the Miller family, Coach Corbin and the Utah Jazz staff for giving me this opportunity. I'm really excited."

Burke was not brought in to work out with the Jazz, unlike essentially every other point guard in the draft. The trade can't become official yet, and the Jazz will still select twice, the first pick at 14 was Shabazz Muhammad. The 21st pick was Gorgui Dieng.

Burke wants to prove that he is worthy of a high pick.

"Just showing that I am big enough and quick enough," Burke said to the media in New York before the draft. "Right now I'm not playing, so they can't really see. But, there's always going to be doubts about my size. There's nothing I can do about my size, that's something that's natural. But I think I've overcome those doubts by playing with heart. I know my skill level. I know what I can do on the court and I play towards my strengths."

Burke, 6-0 190 lbs., averaged 18.6 points per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field his sophomore year including 38.4 percent as a 3-point shooter. He averaged 6.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game leading his team to a 31-8 record.

He isn't a tall player, but the lack of height doesn't scare head coach Tyrone Corbin.

"He's a winner his height is what it is," Corbin said. "He's shown he can win at all different levels. He's a true competitor he fits our culture."

The point guard will immediately be expected to carry on the tradition of his position and he said he is ready for the challenge.

"I'm sure you've seen it with John Stockton and guys like Deron Williams," Burke said. "I think the winning mentality and the guy that's going to work hard and make plays for this team. This is a new journey for me, but I'm looking forward to making an impact right away and helping this team go far."

The Jazz made a second trade, moving into the first round to select 7-2 French center Rudy Gobert with the 27th pick from the Denver Nuggets. The Jazz will give up the 46th pick and cash. Gobert has a wing span of 7-9 and a standing reach of 9-7. You read that correctly.

General manager Dennis Lindsey wants Gobert to come over this year to play, but the team isn't sure when he would be able to. Lindsey seemed to hope for Summer League play, but Gobert is still under contract and those details will need to be worked out before. Lindsey said the exact cash numbers won't be discussed, but that the Miller family made a significant investment.

The Jazz made one last trade after the draft ended. They acquired Raul Neto a Brazilian point guard who was originally taken by the Atlanta Hawks with the 47th pick. The Jazz gave up the Brooklyn Nets 2015 second-round pick, which they acquired in a deal with Mehmet Okur in 2011.

The last time the Jazz made a draft-day trade they traded Herbert Hill for Kyrylo Fesenko in 2006. The 21st pick was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in the Deron Williams trade through the Golden State Warriors.

The draft started with a shocker as the Cleveland Cavaliers took Anthony Bennett, a power forward, from UNLV. The Magic had the second pick and took shooting guard Victor Oladipo from Indiana. Washington went third and selected Otto Porter, Jr., a wing from Georgetown.

Cody Zeller, a 7-footer and the second player from Indiana, went to the Bobcats with the fourth pick. Jeff Hornacek's Suns' got their first pick in Alex Len, a center from Maryland. The shocking news was that Nerlens Noel, who was expected to be the top pick fell out of the top 5. He was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans, but then was traded to the 76ers for Jrue Holliday and next year's first-round pick.

The Kings took Ben Mclemore, a sharp-shooting wing from Kansas with the seventh pick. Detroit had the eighth pick and selected Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a wing from Georgia. The Timberwolves selected Trey Burke, point guard from Michigan, who was traded to to the Jazz.

C.J. McCollum was then drafted by the Portland Trailblazers, with the 10th pick. Michael Carter-Williams was then picked by Philadelphia. Steven Adams, from Pitt, was picked with the 12th pick for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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