Rudy Gobert Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Gobert, Mavs, Morant, Tyus Jones, Hayes

April 1st, 2022 at 10:26pm CST by Rory Maher

In an appearance on The Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said the Mavericks would have “significant interest” in Jazz center Rudy Gobert if Utah makes him available this summer. Gobert would also “love to play with Luka (Doncic),” according to MacMahon (hat tip ProCity Hoops via Twitter).

Gobert would prefer to stay in Utah, MacMahon stated, but Dallas would be “very aggressive” in pursuit of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year if he’s put on the market.

Of course, this talk was based on Utah’s performance in the playoffs this season, as the team could make major changes if it’s unsuccessful in making a deep playoff run — it could even be a championship-or-bust scenario, depending on how certain players react. Still, it’s interesting that the Mavs apparently value Gobert so highly, given his pricey contract over the next several years.

Here are a few more notes from the Southwest Division:

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said that Ja Morant is starting to ramp up his activity and is “feeling good,” according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). Morant’s sore right knee is expected to be reevaluated next Thursday. He’s expected to be back for the team’s playoff run.
Tyus Jones‘ strong play starting in place of Morant could make him too expensive for the Grizzlies to keep this summer, Cole writes. Jones is leading the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio for the fourth straight season and could be in line for a raise on the $8.4MM he’s earning in 2021/22. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer in a pretty weak point guard class. In 21 starts this season, Jones is averaging 12.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 6.8 against 0.95 TOPG, a ratio of about 7-to-1. He’s also a solid defender and sports a .450/.373/.838 shooting line in 30.3 MPG as a starter.
After switching from center to power forward, Jaxson Hayes‘ future in the league looks bright, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The former first-round pick is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, but multiple sources think an extension might be unlikely, Clark relays. One reason for that is Hayes has some positional overlap with Zion Williamson, so New Orleans might want to see how they fit together before committing to Hayes long-term. Assuming he sticks with the Pelicans through next season and doesn’t sign an extension, Hayes would become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023 if the team gives him a qualifying offer.

Jazz Notes: Slump, Mitchell, Gobert, Forrest, Hernangomez

March 30th, 2022 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

Last Wednesday night, following a blowout loss to the Celtics, Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert attempted to diagnose the team’s issues and consider how to fix them, with Gobert stressing the need to “sacrifice for each other,” while Mitchell called out the Utah’s execution and energy level. As Sarah Todd of The Deseret News relayed at the time, Gobert expressed confidence that enduring some adversity would make the team better.

One week later, it seems as though the Jazz have yet to apply those lessons and turn their adversity into something positive. Defeats at the hands of the Hornets, Mavericks, and Clippers have extended their losing streak to five games, and Tuesday’s outcome in Los Angeles was especially dispiriting. In a repeat of Game 6 of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals, Utah blew a 25-point lead en route to an improbable loss.

Asked by Todd about the similarities between last year’s game and last night’s, Mitchell expressed exasperation: “I don’t know, Sarah. I don’t know. It’s the same s–t. I mean, it feels the same way. It’s the same thing. This is literally the same thing.”

Gobert offered more specific critiques of the Jazz, suggesting to reporters that the team’s ball movement, defense, and lack of physicality are among the problems he has noticed.

“Nobody hits nobody,” Gobert said, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “We don’t get our hands dirty. We never get our hands dirty. We’re a very good basketball team, but I get f— up every night, and guys are literally beating me up every night, as they should. It’s basketball, it’s a physical game. But we have to get to the point where we do that to the other team too. But teams don’t really expect that from us.

“We’re a really good basketball team, I think we have great basketball players on both ends. We just, need to figure out a way to get that mindset, to do things for each other more and do it for 48 minutes, and do it even more. And when it gets hard, we need to do it even more.”

Utah will have a good opportunity to right the ship on Thursday when the reeling Lakers – likely missing both LeBron James and Anthony Davis – come to town.

Here’s more on the Jazz:

The good vibes that used to float around the Jazz are gone, Todd writes in an opinion piece for The Deseret News, noting that the team’s body language has been “just awful.”
Jazz guard Trent Forrest, who left Tuesday’s game with concussion-like symptoms, has indeed been diagnosed with a concussion, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. The Jazz were determining late Tuesday night whether Forrest would be able to fly home with the team or if he’d require an overnight hospital stay. There was a bit of added concern because it’s Forrest’s second concussion, Jones explains.
Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune explores the odds of Rudy Gobert winning his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
Juan Hernangomez has been traded four times in the last year and hasn’t played much this season, but he has gotten the opportunity to start for the Jazz recently with Bojan Bogdanovic sidelined and has responded well, including on Tuesday when he scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. “It’s just the business,” Hernangomez said following the loss in Charlotte last Friday, according to Walden. “As a player, you’ve got to be ready, keep working on your game. I’ve been through a lot of changes — emotionally, changing all the teams, changing all my teammates, coaches, but you’re still the same player. You’ve got to keep working on your game because if you can stay ready, the NBA’s about opportunity. And when the opportunity comes, just enjoy it and do your best.”

And-Ones: Molinar, All-Defense, Most Influential Players, Collison

March 25th, 2022 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Mississippi State guard Iverson Molinar announced on Twitter today that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA draft while maintaining his NCAA eligibility.

Molinar, who recently completed his junior season with the Bulldogs, led the team in both points (17.5) and assists (3.6) per game in 2021/22. He also chipped in 3.1 RPG and 1.2 SPG in 34 appearances (34.1 MPG).

Although he showed the ability to hit outside shots during his first two college seasons (.419 3PT%), Molinar’s three-point percentage dropped to just 25.2% this season. Still, ESPN ranks him at the No. 64 player on its big board for 2022, so he has a chance to be a second-rounder if he keeps his name in the draft.

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the basketball world:

Using a series of new advanced metrics, Kirk Goldsberry of ESPN.com (Insider link) identifies the top candidates for the NBA’s All-Defensive teams for 2021/22. Goldsberry’s list includes a pair of Celtics (Marcus Smart and Robert Williams), two recent Defensive Players of the Year (Rudy Gobert and Giannis Antetokounmpo), and a rookie (Herb Jones), among others.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype polled 52 current and former NBA players, asking them to name the five most influential players in league history. Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson were the leading vote-getters, according to Scotto, who also shared the rest of the top 10 and outlined which other players received votes.
As expected, the South Bay Lakers have officially added veteran guard Darren Collison to their roster (Twitter link). A report earlier this week indicated that Collison was joining Los Angeles’ G League affiliate.

And-Ones: Evans, COVID Boosters, DPOY, Barnes, Mobley

March 24th, 2022 at 7:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyreke Evans‘ drive to return to the NBA took another twist when the G League’s Wisconsin Herd waived him on Wednesday, according to a team press release. He appeared in two games for the Bucks’ affiliate, averaging 8.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 2.5 APG and suffering an ankle injury in the process.

Last month, Evans was reinstated into the NBA after being suspended by the league since 2019 for violating its drug policy. Prior to joining the Herd in the middle of this month, the 32-year-old guard had not played elsewhere since his ban.

We have more from around the basketball world:

While Kyrie Irving can now play home games, the NBA is still concerned about another COVID-19 outbreak. As part of a memo on the rollback of New York City’s vaccine mandate, the Players Association is encouraging eligible players to get booster shots ahead of the playoffs, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The NBPA is concerned about the “possibility of new variants on the horizon.” Approximately 75% of the league’s players have already received a booster shot, the NBPA tweets.
There’s no clear-cut choice for the Defensive Player of the Year award, according to The Athletic’s Seth Partnow, and he takes a closer look at six serious candidates for the honor. That group includes Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, Jaren Jackson Jr., Marcus Smart and Robert Williams.
The all-around ability of the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley has changed the narrative on this year’s Rookie of the Year award, Eric Koreen of The Athletic opines. Unlike most high lottery picks, they’ve made a major impact on teams headed to the playoffs.

Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Bam, Collins, Bridges

March 20th, 2022 at 1:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Heat guard Victor Oladipo, who continues to work his way back from quadriceps tendon surgery, has played in just four games since returning to the hardwood for Miami on March 7, averaging 5.5 points on .450/.222/.667 shooting across 16.3 MPG. Oladipo has also struggled with lower back spasms in recent days.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes that the Heat were never anticipating that Oladipo could be a starter this season playing major minutes. Winderman notes that the 6’4″ guard, a former two-time All-Star with the Pacers before being beset by injuries, could still be a valuable contributor for the East’s top-seeded club in spot minutes during the playoffs. The play of fellow reserve guards Max Strus and Gabe Vincent has made any help Oladipo provides a bit of a bonus.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Heat center Bam Adebayo believes he deserves to be named Defensive Player of the Year this season, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Adebayo has been the anchor for one of the league’s staunchest defenses this year. As of this writing, the Heat rank fifth in defensive rating and fourth in points allowed per game. The 6’9″ big man has been no slouch when it comes to counting stats, either, averaging 19.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 3.5 APG this season for Miami. Though Adebayo has missed 25 games this season due to injury, missing some contests does not necessarily preclude a player from DPOY consideration. In the 2017/18 season, Jazz center Rudy Gobert won his first Defensive Player of the Year award after playing only 56 of 82 games for Utah.
Hawks head coach Nate McMillan sounds fairly skeptical that starting power forward John Collins will be available to return to the floor for Atlanta within the 10-to-14-day timeline initially provided by the team, per Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). “That’s when they will talk about his injury again,” McMillan said. “I don’t think we’re saying in two weeks he’ll be back. We will re-evaluate him in two weeks.”
Hornets power forward Miles Bridges, who should at least be a finalist for the 2022 Most Improved Player award thanks to his excellent play this year, is focused on reaching the playoffs with Charlotte following several past disappointments, per Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “I’ve been here before and all three years when we could’ve made the playoffs we didn’t finish like we wanted to,” Bridges said. “So I just want this year to be different.” Bridges is averaging 20.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 3.8 APG for the 36-35 Hornets, current occupants of the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte – currently 5.5 games ahead of the No. 11 Wizards with just 11 games left in its season – seems like a safe bet to at least qualify for the 2022 play-in tournament. Last year, the Hornets finished as the tenth seed with a 33-39 record, but lost to the Pacers in their first play-in game.

Jazz Notes: Wade, Gobert, Mitchell, Butler

March 8th, 2022 at 7:37am CST by Luke Adams

As a part of the Jazz‘s ownership group, Dwyane Wade views it as one of his responsibilities to improve the experience for players and to narrow the “disconnect” between the people in the locker room and the people running the team, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic writes.

Wade acknowledged that his input into basketball operations decisions is fairly limited for the time being, but he hopes to eventually take on a larger role as he gets more comfortable in his position in the front office.

“My name is probably bigger than the piece I have,” Wade told The Athletic. “As I’m trying to learn this space, I’ll hopefully one day be more involved. But right now I’m sitting back and I’m learning from (general manager) Justin Zanik, I’m learning from (CEO) Danny Ainge, and (team owner) Ryan (Smith) is as well.

“I don’t want that responsibility of trading a guy or signing a guy. That’s not my role. I don’t want anybody thinking that’s my role. My role is to give my perspective if asked. If I feel like, ‘Hey, what are we doing on this and that, these are the players that I see, that I like.’ And things about these players. Just conversations that anybody would have. But I don’t make the decisions. I’m not the decision-maker.”

Here’s more on the Jazz:

All-Star center Rudy Gobert thought the referees in Monday’s game in Dallas let the Mavericks‘ bench get away with comments that crossed a line, as Sarah Todd of The Deseret News relays. “There were a lot of things being said that wouldn’t be said outside of a basketball court,” Gobert said. “A lot of things that I would never say. I’m not perfect but I don’t say things to guys on the court that I wouldn’t say to their face outside the locker room.” The Jazz and Mavs will play again in Dallas later this month, and could face each other in the postseason — they currently hold the fourth and fifth spots in the West.
Tony Jones of The Athletic, in considering the Jazz’s long-term future, envisions the team eventually moving Donovan Mitchell to the point guard role on a full-time basis. If and when Mitchell assumes that role, Utah would probably want to complement him with a secondary creator and with a couple long, athletic wings who can shoot, Jones suggests. Mike Conley, the team’s current point guard, is under contract for two more seasons beyond this one, though his 2023/24 salary isn’t fully guaranteed.
A Louisiana native, Jazz rookie Jared Butler got his first opportunity to play an NBA game in New Orleans last Friday night, logging seven minutes of mop-up time in Utah’s blowout loss to the Pelicans. Speaking to local media, Butler discussed the challenges he has faced this season during a transition period. “This year has been interesting, because it’s brand-new for me,” Butler said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “The coolest thing is I get to learn right now. That’s been a change of pace for me going from playing 30 minutes a night in college to just sitting and learning. So that’s been an adjustment. But there’s also just been the adjustment to the NBA lifestyle.”

Western Notes: Gobert, Jazz, Edwards, Wolves, Williamson

February 27th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by JD Shaw

Jazz center Rudy Gobert continues to dominate this season despite facing criticism, as relayed by NBA.com. Gobert, one of the league’s top rim-protectors, is averaging 15.6 points and 14.8 rebounds per game on a career-best 72% shooting.

“I’m just gonna keep trying to be the best Rudy I can be, on and off the court. … And for my team,” Gobert said. “The more these people try to discredit what I do or what my team does, it just means we’re doing something right.”

Gobert is also averaging 2.3 blocks per game, making it eighth straight seasons of averaging over two blocks. His impressive two-way play is a key reason why Utah ranks fourth in the West at 38-22.

Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:

The Jazz are bouncing back after dealing with a difficult January, as relayed in a separate NBA.com story. Utah is 8-1 this month, which includes a 118-114 road victory over the Suns on Sunday. The team owns the sixth-best record in the league.
The Timberwolves have to find a way to improve their offense, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes. One of the team’s recent problems has been Anthony Edwards, who’s currently in a slump. Minnesota has scored 102, 119 and 91 points in its last three games. “We’ve kind of regressed with that first unit, and we just have to get back to playing through our early concepts,” head coach Chris Finch said. “That’s what we’ve gone away from.”
Christian Clark, Scott Kushner and Rod Walker of NOLA.com debate whether Pelicans star Zion Williamson will play another game with the organization. Williamson hasn’t played this season (foot surgery rehab) and remains away from the team. He could undergo a second procedure at some point, as we previously relayed.

Northwest Notes: Jazz, Finch, Wolves, Masks, Simons, Watford

February 24th, 2022 at 3:04pm CST by Rory Maher

Rudy Gobert still believes in Utah’s title chances this season, even if most of the league has counted the Jazz out, as Sarah Todd of the Deseret News relays.

“It’s about embracing the wins and the losses, and I believe in our group,” Gobert said. “I really believe that we can accomplish our goal. … Everything that we’ve been through only helped us grow and have prepared us even for that moment when it comes. I’m excited for the second part of the season and I know that we’re going to be ready to make a push.”

Todd points out that the Jazz have struggled against top-tier teams this season, blowing multiple big leads, and if they truly want to compete for a championship, they can’t afford those types of mental lapses.

“We’ve got to learn quickly,” coach Quin Snyder said. “Start developing the ability to push the lead as opposed to essentially giving it back.”

The Jazz don’t have the luxury of an “on-off” switch, they need to be “on” all the time in order to prepare for a postseason push, and Todd believes that level of consistency has been lacking this season.

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic recently wrote a story about coach Chris Finch‘s eventful first year with the Timberwolves. “He is very direct when he talks to us, to the players,” offensive coordinator Pablo Prigioni said. “He’s honest. He don’t tell the guys what they want to hear, he tells them the truth. He’s not a big talker. But when he talks, he goes to the point. I think the players appreciate that.” After taking over mid-season in 2020/21, Finch has helped lead the Wolves to a 31-28 record this season, seventh in the West.
The city of Minneapolis lifted its mask mandate Thursday morning, and the Timberwolves have followed suit. Fans will no longer be required to wear masks inside Target Center arena, the team announced.
Trail Blazers rising star Anfernee Simons discussed his situation in Portland with Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). Simons says the Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year Awards were both goals for him entering this season. “At first, I didn’t know if I was gonna get Most Improved because I wasn’t playing as much, that’s why I keyed in on Sixth Man, but now I’m starting to get a lot of minutes so that’s why I’m keying in on Most Improved. It’s been great how everything’s been working out,” Simons said.
Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) provides details on Trendon Watford‘s new standard contract with the Trail Blazers. Watford was promoted from a two-way deal. Portland used part of its remaining mid-level exception to sign Watford to a four-year deal. He’ll earn $436,482 for the remainder of this season and a guaranteed $1,563,518 next season. The final two seasons, in 2023/24 and ’24/25, are both non-guaranteed, with the Blazers holding a club option in the last season.

Jazz Notes: Mitchell, Gobert, 2023 ASG, Hernangomez

February 21st, 2022 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz have made the playoffs in each of the four years since Donovan Mitchell entered the NBA and are on track to do so again in 2022. However, Mitchell has yet to make it beyond the second round of the postseason and is feeling more urgency to make a deeper run this spring, as he tells Tony Jones of The Athletic.

“I think I’m really at a point now where we’ve made the second round, and we want more,” Mitchell said. “We crave it. I watched Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp in the Super Bowl; they just found ways to win. So, for me, that’s the biggest thing. The ultimate goal is for us to be the last team standing. That’s the sign of the ultimate winner.”

In addition to voicing his desire for the Jazz to “take another leap,” Mitchell once again brushed off the notion that there’s any tension between him and teammate Rudy Gobert, echoing comments he made to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports earlier this month.

“I’m at a point now where it’s the NBA, this is what it is,” Mitchell told Jones. “People are going to write things. If I have to respond every five minutes to a story, then I’m taking away from my teammates, and I’m taking away from my happiness. I love this team, and we want to find a way to win as a group. I’m focused on my team. As long as my teammates and my coaches know my intentions, then that’s what it is. But I’m not going to allow articles to deter me from my main goal. I love this group. So, let’s find a way to do it.”

Here’s more on the Jazz:

Rudy Gobert, who watched 19-year veteran LeBron James hit the game-winning shot against his team in Sunday’s All-Star Game, said he’d love to be able to replicate LeBron’s longevity, as Sarah Todd of The Deseret News writes. “I’m taking great care of myself, just to trying to see how far I can go,” said Gobert, who is in his ninth season. “Whenever I feel like I either can’t play anymore or I lose that competitive edge, then I’ll probably stop it, but for sure I would love to play for 19 years.”
In the wake of 2022 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune looks ahead to the 2023 event, which will be hosted by the Jazz, and considers what it will mean for the Salt Lake City market. It’s the first time the All-Star Game will be played in Utah since 1993.
Juan Hernangomez, acquired by the Jazz at the trade deadline, is under contract through 2022/23, but his salary for next season is non-guaranteed, so he’ll likely become a free agent this summer, if not sooner. As Antigoni Zachari of Eurohoops relays, Hernangomez would like to finish this season in the NBA and could remain stateside beyond that, but he’s also expected to draw significant interest from teams in Spain, including Barcelona, according to international reports. Hernangomez played in his home country for Estudiantes for two seasons from 2014-16 before entering the NBA.

Jazz Notes: Gobert, Mitchell, Clarkson, Vivint Arena

February 15th, 2022 at 9:03pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following his return to the Jazz from a left calf strain, All-Star center Rudy Gobert suggested that the mood around the team seems improved, according to Jazz.com. Prior to Utah’s dominant 135-101 Rockets win on Monday, Gobert had missed the team’s previous nine games.

“Our energy is different,” Gobert said. “I feel like something happened within our team. … That slump really sparked something. I feel like we’re a team that’s trying to accomplish something.”

The Jazz have won six straight games since losing 11 of 13 in January, and appear to be focused collectively on improving their hustle and defensive intensity. Their offensive efficiency has also improved of late.

There’s more out of Utah:

Jazz All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell discussed his relationship with Gobert in a wide-ranging conversation with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports in Haynes’ podcast Posted Up With Chris Haynes. “First of all, we’re good. I just want to go on record with saying that,” Mitchell told Haynes. “I think it’s interesting that stuff happens, and he and I have never played at this high of a level together since we’ve been here. So I make the joke, ‘For a group that hates each other, man, we’re playing pretty well.’”
In his conversation with Haynes, Mitchell also addressed speculation that he might not want to stay in Utah long-term, dismissing that idea. “I think I’ve reached a point where you’re happy with yourself, first off,” Mitchell said. “… But as far as myself with the franchise, I see the articles, but I really address it with my teammates. I’ve seen it. I’m not too stressed about it. I’m not thinking about it. … There’s going to be talk whether I say something, whether I don’t say something because that’s how I’ve always been. I’ve always been someone that’s like, ‘OK, they’re saying stuff. Let’s go ahead and lock in.’ I haven’t really thought too much about it. I’m happy right now and just continuing to find ways to win.”
Jazz reserve guard Jordan Clarkson, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, has now entered all-time territory with a recent achievement. Upon nailing his 439th three-pointer during Utah’s lopsided victory over the Rockets, Clarkson has the 10th-most made triples in the team’s history, per Jazz.com. “I feel like I’ve been saying it for a long time, but his care factor, his will, and he’s got a lot of pride, he wants to win,” head coach Quin Snyder said. “He can really score but he wants to win more than he wants to score.”
The Jazz’s home court, Vivint Arena, is scheduled to roll back most of its coronavirus precautions for Jazz games on February 25, according to Joe Coles of The Deseret News. Vivint Arena currently requires all attendees to either display proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of tipoff. Masks will still be a requirement for certain areas close to the court. 3,128 new coronavirus cases were recorded in the state yesterday, per The New York Times.