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Derrick Favors has made the most of his opportunity as the lone big man tasked with the scoring load upon the absence of center Rudy Gobert, who is out for four-to-six weeks with a knee injury.
The 6-foot-10 big man has pulled down double-digit rebounds since the uptick in minutes, including blocking two shots per game — an asset of need without the 7-foot-1 Stifle Towel on the court.
But in the midst of holding down the fort for head coach Quin Snyder and the Utah Jazz, comes the realization of his looming free agency and the many decisions to come with it. Favors had told reporters his intention to stay with the team in prior weeks, but is very well aware of the business that basketball is and the many avenues it may take him in.
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“The key is for me not to think about it,” Favors said, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. “I don’t read the articles. I don’t read twitter. I just don’t pay attention to it. I just have to understand that I can be here one day and gone the next. So I have to work hard while I’m here. I have to keep working on my game. And when I’m in the game, I just have to know that I’m not only playing for my team, but I’m showcasing my talent as well.”
Favors' ability to make the face-up jumper; a skill that Gobert has yet to master, could prove his ticket to stay in Utah — but his aggression will have to start showing, as he's only tallied six and nine points in his last two outings.
