Mere hours before the beginning of free agency, the Timberwolves traded Ricky Rubio to the Utah Jazz in exchange for a 2018 first-round pick.

This move is the Jazz conceding their pursuit to bring back soon-to-be free agent George Hill. And while this isn’t a huge upgrade or downgrade, it does hurt them because fellow free-agent-to-be Gordon Hayward is open to coming back to Utah, but according to reports, he very much would prefer they keep Hill, which they obviously aren’t doing.

For Minnesota, this move gives them a huge amount of salary cap room to pursue a top free agent. They’ve been rumored to have already set their sights on Jeff Teague, and reports say that they’ll likely sign him to a three-year contract for approximately 55 million dollars, a hefty but worthwhile price for a player who will fit in well with the dynamic trio of Jimmy Butler, Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

The Timberwolves seem like a lock to make the playoffs next year for the first time in quite a while. Coach and President of Basketball Operations, Tom Thibodeau has had a great summer thus far, starting with the trade to fleece the Chicago Bulls of Jimmy Butler, followed by this trade to obtain a future first-rounder, plus the ability to get a great fourth option in Teague.

The Jazz and their fans should be very nervous about what will transpire in the coming days. With the chances of a Gordon Hayward return seemingly declining by the hour, the Jazz are in trouble. As for the Timberwolves, though, things have never looked brighter.