NBA Rumors: Utah Jazz Reveal Major Plan For Rudy Gobert And Donovan Mitchell In 2020 Offseason
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, rumors have started to swirl around the Utah Jazz and franchise cornerstones Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Following reports of the dispute between their two best players, there is speculation that the Jazz might be forced to trade either Gobert or Mitchell in the 2020 NBA offseason. In recent months, both superstars have already been linked to several teams that are expected to seek additional star power this fall.
However, since the reported dispute between Gobert and Mitchell spread like wildfire all around the league, the Jazz have held firm that they have no intention of breaking up their young superstar duo, adding that they are doing everything they can to fix the issue between their two franchise cornerstones. In a recent interview with Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Jazz Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Lindsey confirmed that their stance hasn’t changed regarding keeping both Gobert and Mitchell long-term in Utah.
Instead of trading one of them, Lindsey revealed that they are planning to find quality players that would complement Gobert and Mitchell’s game.
“As we’ve stated before, we’re looking to add players with the physical talent and the competitive makeup of Donovan and Rudy,” Lindsey said. “By definition, we want to build around them moving forward.”
Despite all the things that happened, it’s hard to blame Lindsey and the Jazz’s front office for being optimistic about their future under the leadership of Gobert and Mitchell. Though they obviously need to gain more experience and address some of the issues with their game, Gobert and Mitchell have proven that they can compete against the best players in the league. By surrounding Gobert and Mitchell with quality players that complement them, the Jazz could boost their chances of fully dominating the Western Conference and winning the championship title next season.
After months of silence, Mitchell has finally spoken up about his relationship with Gobert. Mitchell didn’t deny that he got frustrated with Gobert, but as of now, he’s ready to move on from what happened between him and his Jazz teammate.
“We know what it is internally as a team, and that should be it,” Mitchell said. “That’s part of that maturity and growing up. I could have easily gone back and forth with whoever on Twitter and kind of addressed it, but I’m just like, you know what, there’s no need for that. My teammates and my coaches know how I feel, and I feel like that was over with. That’s it, and I’m leaving it at that.”
The dispute between Gobert and Mitchell has undeniably put the Jazz’s future in jeopardy, but there are some who believe that the team could also benefit from the past conflict. According to MacMahon, some people inside the Jazz’s organization think that overcoming the issue could lead Gobert and Mitchell to have more productive conversations with each other, which could help them strengthen their relationship as two top players trying to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy home to Utah.
