Australian guard Josh Green has been traded for the second time in just over two months, but this move has been in the making.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday AEST, the Utah Jazz acquired Green and cash from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Cody Williams and John Konchar.
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Six-foot-six shooting guard Green lands in Utah, having not played a single minute for the Minnesota Timberwolves since arriving this offseason.
Williams, meanwhile, was the No.10 draft pick in 2024. The club is expected to keep him but waive-and-stretch shooting veteran Konchar.
Regarding the Aussie’s move, Charania added via X: “They (Minnesota) found a home for Josh Green on a Jazz team that wanted an additional 3-and-D wing; moving his $14.7 million (AU$20,510,673) deal gives Minnesota the salary space to sign Jonathan Kuminga using the taxpayer midlevel exception.”
Offloading Green’s guaranteed $20.5 million this season — the last year of an initial three-year deal with the Mavs — means the Wolves can officially add Kuminga on a two-year, $12.4 million (US$17,301,520) deal.
Kuminga’s addition is considered a needle-moving boost for the contending Wolves, who’ve made substantial moves this offseason, including pouncing on polarising scoring guard LaMelo Ball.
In late June, ex-Hornet Green was a part of the blockbuster trade deal that sent then-Charlotte-teammate Ball to Minnesota for Naz Reid and a series of draft picks.
A former first-round pick, Green spent the first four years of his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to Charlotte in mid-2024.
The 25-year-old saw a significant dip in playing time in his last season with the Hornets, playing just 15.7 minutes per game after a career-high 27.8 per game in the 2024-25 campaign.
He averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds under Charles Lee as Charlotte stormed to a shock play-in berth last post-season.