After multiple early playoff exits despite being one of the top seeds in the Western Conference year after year, the Utah Jazz’s front office decided to blow up their core of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
Both players were key to Utah’s success under head coach Quin Snyder, but the duo failed to reach a conference finals in the five years they played together.
The Jazz fell victim to running into better teams in the postseason early on in Mitchell’s tenure, notably falling short against the Rockets in consecutive seasons before blowing a 3-1 lead against the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in the NBA bubble.
After finishing with the league’s best record in the 2020-21 season, Utah reached the second round for just the second time with Gobert and Mitchell. After taking a 2-0 series lead over the Clippers, the Jazz crumbled and lost four straight to Los Angeles.
Losing four in a row was definitely disappointing, but the way in which it happened signaled the beginning of the end for Utah’s core.
Kawhi Leonard missed the final two games of the series after suffering a knee injury and the Jazz’s defense was picked apart by the Clippers.
Utah held a 25-point lead in the third quarter of game six before a comeback from Los Angeles led by Terrance Mann sent the Jazz home packing. The Clippers utilized a small-ball lineup, taking advantage of Gobert on the perimeter and running him off the floor.
Many believed Gobert was to blame for the series loss and after another first round exit the following year, the pairing of Mitchell and Gobert was no more.
Gobert was traded to Minnesota while Mitchell was sent to Cleveland. Since they’ve arrived in their new homes, one player has had significantly more team success than the other.
Gobert was the wrong scapegoat
Since being acquired by the Cavaliers, Mitchell’s team has faced the same fate as he did in Utah – great regular season success and early postseason exits.
Mitchell and Cleveland have made it to the conference semi finals in each of the past two seasons but despite having the best record in the Eastern conference a year ago, the Cavaliers were humiliated by the Pacers in five games.
Meanwhile, Gobert has helped the Timberwolves reach heights that they haven’t seen since Kevin Garnett was leading the team.
After a first round exit in Gobert’s first year with the team, Minnesota has made the conference finals in two consecutive seasons including their first appearance in the conference finals since 2004.
Gobert has been a big reason for the Timberwolves success, leading the team in win-shares in his first four years with the organization and also helping slow down three-time MVP Nikola Jokic in two playoff series.
Throughout the first round of the playoffs this season, it’s been quite clear that Gobert wasn’t the problem on those Utah teams with his performance this postseason and the struggles from Mitchell once again through his team’s first four games.
The Jazz may have moved off Gobert too early but the haul they received for him was well worth the cost. If Utah had built a defense around Gobert as Minnesota has, the team might have found more success in the playoffs.
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