Defensive Player of the Year honors aren’t the only bit of year-end recognition Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert could bring home this summer.
When Rudy Gobert took home the 2018 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, it felt like the long overdue validation of a terrific basketball player and an impressive person. One year later, he has a chance to repeat as DPOY after another stifling performance in the pivot for the Jazz.
But that’s not the only hardware he could bring home this summer. On Thursday it was revealed that Gobert also has an opportunity to receive a measure of recognition not only for being a star on the hardwood, but for his demeanor off the court as well.
The Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA) announced its finalists for the 2019 Magic Johnson Award, which recognizes the player whose cooperation and interactions with the press and fans is as impressive as his exploits on the court. Gobert is one of five players up for the trophy.
Joining him are Bradley Beal, Draymond Green, Nikola Vucevic and Dwyane Wade.
While the DPOY race will be the biggest award battle in the eyes of the Jazzland masses, Gobert’s nomination here is a big-time accomplishment. In a field and era in which self-interest and cynicism can often rule the day, the Stifle Tower breaks the mold by being a superstar athlete, but not always behaving as such.
Without question, he and Donovan Mitchell are the primary factors in their team’s status as perhaps the most-liked Jazz team since the John Stockton and Karl Malone-led squads that went to the NBA Finals.
It’s good to see Gobert getting recognized for that.
Could the Jazz trade out of the first round?
Although the 2019 NBA Draft has more than its fair share of sizzle at the top with the likes of Zion Williamson and Ja Morant in the draft pool, it’s probably fair to say that the wow factor drops hard and fast after the top handful of prospects.
Apparently, this isn’t lost on the Jazz who, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, would consider exploring trades to get out of their pick at No. 23 due to the lack of depth in this year’s draft. In his offseason calendar (subscription required), Jones opined that Utah’s decision-makers “are not afraid of trading out of the first round this year.”
The last time the Jazz traded out of the first-round of the draft was in 2016 when they gave up the draft-rights to Taurean Prince in exchange for point-man George Hill in a three-way deal. Although he struggled with injuries, Hill would go on to help Utah to 51 wins while putting up career-high numbers in multiple areas.
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However, Hill was also on the outs one year later. And even in an allegedly weak draft, the potential payoff on a pick — even in the mid-to-late first-round — could be huge.
They also hold value from a cap standpoint thanks to low-dollar, rookie-scale contracts.
So, clearly, Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey must exercise caution in shopping his pick. That said, if there ends up being a deal out there that can bring the Jazz closer to contending, it would seem that Lindsey is ready and willing to move his pick, and that’s a good thing.