{"id":835474,"date":"2026-09-15T01:39:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T01:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/835474\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T01:39:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T01:39:31","slug":"what-the-josh-green-trade-means-for-the-jazz-timberwolves-the-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/835474\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Josh Green Trade Means for the Jazz, Timberwolves \u2013 The Lead"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you think of August, most people don\u2019t think of sports news unless you\u2019re following MLB or MLS. In the NBA, August means preseason prep. However, under the new CBA, small deals continued to happen throughout the summer. Peyton Watson<\/a> went to<\/a> the Cleveland Cavaliers, Klay Thompson<\/a> to Miami<\/a>, and, most\u00a0recently,<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>Jordan Hawkins<\/a> to the Memphis Grizzlies.<\/p>\n

On Aug. 29, 2026, the Utah Jazz surprised Jazz Nation with a trade, sending<\/a> former top-10 pick Cody Williams<\/a> and John Konchar<\/a> to Minnesota in exchange for Josh Green<\/a> and cash.<\/p>\n

With another former lottery pick leaving, the new Jazz roster continues to take shape. However, this move asks plenty of questions. What does this mean for Williams? How does this help Utah compete? How does Green contribute to the Jazz?<\/p>\n

The Minnesota Timberwolves are trading Josh Green and cash to the Utah Jazz for Cody Williams and John Konchar, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com\/9mZTm4amkH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The Grass Is Greener in Utah<\/p>\n

After helping the Charlotte Hornets return to the postseason, Green is now on his third stop in the league. While the 25-year-old\u2019s scoring stats<\/a> may not impress, Green\u2019s impact shows up in other ways.<\/p>\n

In limited minutes, Green maximized<\/a> his time on the floor by doing the little things. With a +14.7 net rating, Green elevated the Hornets\u2019 offense and defense by grabbing hard rebounds, hustling up the floor to disrupt a play, and hitting an open corner three.<\/p>\n

He ranked 55th in plus-minus<\/a>\u00a0with a +207 rating. That puts him above players like Alperen Sengun<\/a> and Devin Booker<\/a>, and they played significantly more minutes.<\/p>\n

Though he impacted the Hornets immensely, the Jazz already have guards in Josh Okogie<\/a> and Svi Mykhailiuk.<\/a>\u00a0If Green wants more playing time in Utah, he needs to keep up his efficiency.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The trade means Utah wants to compete. After two years, the front office decided to spend their time and resources on Ace Bailey<\/a> and Darryn Peterson<\/a> rather than Williams. Players like Matas Buzelis<\/a> and Jared McCain<\/a> were ripe for the taking<\/a>, but the Jazz ultimately drafted Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Colorado, Williams was a beast on both sides of the court. Averaging<\/a> 11.9 points and earning Pac-12 All-Freshman honors, the forward was even rumored to go number one overall<\/a>. So far, he hasn\u2019t developed into the dominant starter many expected. While he still has a chance to develop into a dominant player in Minnesota, the odds are slim.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In all fairness to the front office, nobody hits on every draft pick in a rebuild. It stings to miss on a lottery pick, but the Jazz do dodge paying the Williams\u2019 salary \u2014 meaning they can use that money to pay Keyonte George<\/a>. Plus, they can flip Green\u2019s $14.5 million contract<\/a> at the trade deadline for a center to help them compete for a playoff spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finding His Niche<\/p>\n

For Williams, this is a critical juncture in his career. The 10th overall<\/a> pick in 2024, Utah had high hopes for him.\u00a0While he started last season slowly, his play showed a spark in the end.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in March and April alone<\/a>. This gave fans and Jazz media hope that Williams finally settled into the NBA. Then Summer League<\/a> happened.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, he\u00a0scored<\/a> zero points, grabbed two rebounds, added one assist, and stole one ball\u00a0in 23 minutes. This performance caused speculation<\/a> about Williams\u2019s future in Utah.<\/p>\n

Many media members wondered<\/a> how much time he truly had left with the Jazz. This trade answered that question. The Jazz want to compete and feel that the time and resources put into Williams\u2019 development won\u2019t get them there.<\/p>\n

Now, Williams must fight for his NBA survival. He must beat out his other benchmates<\/a>\u00a0in Minnesota to keep his career going. Perhaps adopting a Derrick Jones Jr.<\/a> like role where<\/a> he defends and gets the crowd going with dunks can suit him well.<\/p>\n

All three components of this trade have something to prove this year. Green must improve his efficiency, Williams must break through, and the Jazz need to make the playoffs.<\/p>\n