Utah Jazz: Extending Rudy Gobert comes with a big risk long-term
The Utah Jazz is taking a risk in signing Rudy Gobert long-term
The Utah Jazz entered the 2020 NBA shortened offseason with one big question. Would they extend Rudy Gobert the supermax extension that he was eligible for? Days away from the start of the 2020-21 NBA season, we finally have the answer to that question.
On one hand, the Jazz could view this extension as a victory. While the Jazz didn’t extend Gobert to the supermax that he was eligible for, he did sign a five-year, $205 million extension that will make him the highest-paid center in NBA history.
It’s an excellent deal for Gobert and secures him financially, but the verdict is still out on whether it’s a good deal for the Jazz moving forward.
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Even though Gobert is considered a top 3 center in the league today, the way the NBA has evolved over the last few seasons I’m not entirely sold on whether this is a contract you want long-term on your cap sheet.
While the big man has certainly evolved, the center position, specifically, has almost become an afterthought in the league. They don’t play as an important role as they did before and have almost been devalued by small-ball lineups and the versatility of today’s forwards.
That said, Gobert is coming off a season in which he averaged 15 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks per game on nearly 70 percent shooting from the field. He doesn’t have a 3-point shot in his arsenal to stretch defenses but is a special defender and rim-protector which makes him especially valuable on the floor.
He’s constantly a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and has been a good pairing next to Donovan Mitchell. After Gobert’s extension, the Jazz is now locked into a Gobert-Mitchell pairing for the next five seasons, at least.
The question the Jazz has to ask itself is whether or not that duo is good enough to get them over the top in the Western Conference? If not, with a good portion of the team’s cap locked into these two – and Bogdan Bogdanovic – you can’t help but wonder how they’re supposed to improve moving forward.
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Though, that’s often a question you worry about after the fact. The Jazz clearly feels comfortable with this duo moving forward and that’s all that matters. If nothing else, the Jazz successfully got rid of a big question and looming giant elephant in the team’s locker room.