Utah Jazz: 5 Stars to pair with Don if he can’t forgive Rudy
By Caleb Manser
Should our worst nightmares come true and the Utah Jazz have to move on from Rudy Gobert, here are five potential targets they could shoot for to pair with Donovan Mitchell.
About a week ago I proposed five star players the Utah Jazz could chase to pair with Rudy Gobert, should he need separating from his teammate Donovan Mitchell. It’s no secret that there has been a bit of a disconnect in the two All-Stars’ chemistry this season.
It became obvious when Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mitchell and Gobert had “some work to do” on their relationship with each other, after the NBA suspended its season indefinitely. Then this morning The Athletic reported that the relationship is “unsalvageable”.
light. Must Read. Gobert, Mitchell saga takes a dark turn
While I personally would prefer the Jazz to do everything to hold onto Rudy Gobert, should the two All-Stars need a divorce, the more realistic outcome is that they choose Donovan Mitchell. He is younger and doesn’t hinder the Jazz’s salary cap as much as Gobert potentially could.
Additionally, the Jazz don’t have to worry about Donovan entering unrestricted free agency until 2024 at the absolute soonest. They can rebuild a roster centered around Donovan with the luxury of time on their side.
Given how much Mitchell has embraced the Salt Lake City community ever since being drafted here as a rookie, it’s not that bad of a scenario when you think about it. He’s great for public relations and marketing purposes, and even has his own brand of shoes.
He was on the cover of NBA 2K20 in China, and has been hitting the sticks quite often since being in quarantine the past month. He’s frequently in the discussion for best NBA players under 25 years old, and for a good reason. The dude can ball out.
Let’s get started with some players he pair well with to make a bright Utah Jazz future.