Subscribe
Follow Us
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has made quite a name for himself atop the NBA level — now both good and bad. One of the best all-around defensive players in the entire league, Gobert is now widely recognized as the first NBA player to publicly test positive for the “coronavirus.”
With such a development ultimately leading to Gobert's Jazz teammate in Utah guard Donovan Mitchell also contracting the “coronavirus,” things are not going all too well in the Mountain West as it stands today. However, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic, the Jazz were “growing weary” of Gobert prior to all of the chaos surrounding the ongoing global pandemic.
“There have been rumblings well before either of them contracted coronavirus that the Jazz were growing weary of Gobert,” writes Aldridge. “Not that they were actively shopping him or trying to get rid of him, but that he might be more available than you’d think a Defensive Player of the Year and guy who is such an anchor would be. It will not surprise me if Utah moves on after this season.”
Thanks to all of the insanity that has ensued throughout the country, the NBA landscape, and especially in Utah, it appears as though that there is reportedly at least some traction to the rumors that the Western Conference franchise could potentially move on from Gobert. Because the 2019-20 NBA season is obviously in flux at the moment, it will be even harder to make a decision surrounding Gobert and his future with the Jazz as the defensive stalwart can't even prove himself any further on the court where he is arguably the top defender in the league — especially in the interior.
Article Continues Below
Even though Gobert and Mitchell seem to have at least somewhat repaired their relationship, or so it has been said, it does not seem like these two can co-exist for much longer in Utah. With that being said, though, this all comes down to whether or not the rest of Gobert's Jazz teammates can tolerate him moving forward. If this is indeed the case, it might be wise to actually move on from Mitchell instead of Gobert as there are more than a few players that can match the production of the former and not many that can do what the “Stifle Tower” does on the floor
Of course, this would ultimately become a decision about basketball and not morals as Gobert is not seen in the best light at the moment, which would also make things a bit tricky when it comes to trading him away. Mitchell, though, should endure quite a few suitors if the Jazz did decide to dangle hip out on the trade market.
At the moment, it remains to be seen as to whether or not the NBA is even able to continue its 2019-20 campaign. Nonetheless, the Jazz currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, thanks to the team's 41-23 record. Only the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets sit above the Jazz in the Western Conference standings despite the seemingly ongoing issues taking place in Utah.
