Former Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert just got his latest payday. Just before the Jazz alum made his season debut, ESPN's Shams Charania reported the latest details of Gobert's new extension with the Timberwolves.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has reached a three-year, $110 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. T’Wolves and Gobert’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye, negotiated the new deal locking in the league-record four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/1FfVQnbJYa
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2024
With this new extension, Gobert will be paid eight figures until he's 36 years old. It's safe to say that he's in it for the long haul for the Timberwolves, despite him not ranking so high on some Top 100 rankings lists.
Even though he doesn't play for them anymore, Gobert's new deal impacts the Jazz.
How Gobert's new extension affects the Jazz
Extending Gobert after trading away Karl-Anthony Towns signals who the Timberwolves truly believed is more crucial to their success. Since Gobert is coming off his fourth Defensive Player of the Year selection, it's fair to say that they chose wisely.
However, paying Gobert a boatload as he enters the wrong side of 30 could be an issue for the Timberwolves. Currently, he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, but who knows if he could keep that up a year or two from now? If he does, that could be fantastic news for the Jazz if things break their way.
It makes sense that the Timberwolves did not want to play with fire regarding Gobert's future with the team following the season they just had. With him locked in for the next few years, they should be a contender for the next few years. However, LeBron James withstanding, Father Time is undefeated, so with Gobert entering his mid-30s, his potentially diminishing impact could greatly impact the Timberwolves' standing in the West.
If he declines enough, that contract could become an albatross, which would also require the Timberwolves to swallow it whole. Since they traded all their assets to the Jazz, they wouldn't have any to dangle for a team to take with Gobert should they resort to dumping him.
Depending on how effective he is in a few years, the Timberwolves pick could turn into another potential lottery pick. The Jazz could then have better assets at their disposal, which they could use either to draft someone good or use in a trade to get someone good.
Admittingly, this is all hypothetical, but this is something Jazz fans should pay attention to as the Jazz continue their rebuild. How the Timberwolves fair down the line could very well lead to the Jazz getting their next face of the franchise.
Much of this will depend on where the Timberwolves are around 2026/27, but it will also depend on where the Jazz will be. If they're still rebuilding, it could make their haul all the better, but if they're constructed to contend for the playoffs, they could suddenly turn into the Thunder.
All in all, check back on this in a few years.