The Utah Jazz are entering a new chapter this offseason after yet another disappointing season where they were eliminated in the first round of the postseason. They couldn’t cash in on Luka Doncic’s absence during the first three games of the series against the Dallas Mavericks, ultimately going down 4-2.
This situation raised many questions about the future of the franchise and what they’ll do next, especially with their star duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. These two have failed to lead this team to a championship, and rumors about their relationship have surfaced suggesting they aren’t on the best terms.
The Jazz are reportedly ready to build around Mitchell for the future, while Gobert’s future is up in the air right now. More details have emerged about this partnership, including how people close to Mitchell were mad after Gobert threw shade at his teammate when praising Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker.
Via Tim MacMahon of ESPN:
Gobert then delved into the Jazz’s defensive issues and his concern that they had been guilty of coasting. It was a concern shared by many in the organization.
“We know that when the playoffs come, we’re not just going to flip a switch and all of the sudden communicate, all of the sudden be able to stay in front of our man, all of the sudden be able to rebound,” Gobert said. “When I watch some of these other teams like the Suns or the Warriors, for example, those guys are a step ahead of us in terms of winning habits. I feel like they take every game personally.
“You can tell Devin Booker is playing his ass off defensively.”
The mention of Booker was a record-scratch moment for Mitchell, his inner circle and many with the Jazz, who immediately recognized how that reference would be received. Whether it was intended — Gobert insists it wasn’t — bringing up Booker was widely perceived as a thinly veiled shot at Mitchell.
Back at the lectern, the big man kept rolling.
Those comments were very unfortunate, but both players made sure to shut down any rumor that they were on bad terms. The Jazz have big questions to answer this offseason and this situation will draw a lot of attention from fans. Gobert and Mitchell couldn’t become the second version of Karl Malone and John Stockton, and it seems like this association is coming to an end.
