Donovan Mitchell is one of the league’s rising stars. His presence was a catalyst for the Utah Jazz’ recent success, as he became the scorer and sharpshooting threat they’ve been craving for years.
Nonetheless, none of the Jazz’s recent success would have been possible without Rudy Gobert and his top-tier rim protection either. The French big man is one of the best defenders in the world and his presence in the paint is a major factor.
That’s why there have been several concerns regarding the Jazz’ two stars’ ability to coexist, as there have been plenty of reports claiming that their relationship took a major hit after both of them tested positive for the coronavirus.
Now, to make things even worst, ESPN recently reported that Gobert is allegedly frustrated by the way Mitchell dominates touches in the Jazz offense:
“The fact that Mitchell has the ball in his hands the most has been the primary irritant in what is an overall successful partnership between him and Gobert,” read the report, as quoted by The NBA Central.
Rudy Gobert has been frustrated with Donovan Mitchell’s ball dominance at times, per ESPN
“The fact that Mitchell has the ball in his hands the most has been the primary irritant in what is an overall successful partnership between he and Gobert.”
(h/t RealGM) pic.twitter.com/DAJ5Kz5u68
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 7, 2020
Mitchell should be the focal point of the Jazz offense and that goes without a question. They’ve added plenty of shooters around him to take some pressure off of his shoulders but it’s pretty clear that he’s the team’s most talented scorer.
Gobert’s offensive game has expanded a bit over the past couple of years but he’s far from being a threat at that end of the floor, away from put-backs, dunks, or pick-and-roll sets.
Hopefully, they’ll find a way to bury the hatchet and coexist for many more years. If not, Gobert will become a free agent in 2021 so Utah may entertain the idea of moving him sooner rather than later.
