The Utah Jazz front office is hoping this 2019-20 season hiatus will help mend the relationship between their two biggest stars, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.
Gobert was the first NBA player to be test positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, with Mitchell testing positive the following day. When Mitchell took to social media to thank those who wished him a speedy recovery, he also used some unique wording when discussing the need to take the situation seriously, hinting at some resentment with Gobert.
That was confirmed in a Good Morning America interview with Robin Roberts on Monday, as Mitchell admitted to some frustration with his teammate, who had been careless about touching players and their possessions.
Luckily for the Jazz, none of the other 58 people tested for coronavirus on Wednesday night tested positive—only Gobert and Mitchell. Yet there is plenty to repair in that bond.
“Mending this bump in the road between Mitchell and Gobert could become the biggest challenge for Jazz coach Quin Snyder and the front office to date,” wrote Jones.
Mitchell had gone to bat for Gobert several times in his previous two-and-a-half seasons, noting Gobert was an All-Star-worthy player, a great teammate, and the most dominant defensive player in the league.
That relationship took a hit when Gobert made a mockery out of the coronavirus outbreak, touching all the reporters' microphones after a press conference last Monday.
Mitchell and Gobert are the pillars of the Jazz' system: a dynamic scorer at all three levels and a force to be reckoned with in the paint.
If the two are still reeling from this incident, it could bring the Jazz' playoff hopes and their ambitions beyond to a screeching halt if either requests a trade or express displeasure playing alongside the other once the season eventually resumes.
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