For years now, Jazz big man Rudy Gobert has faced rumors about a deteriorating relationship with Donovan Mitchell.
When Gobert and Mitchell both tested positive for COVID early on in the pandemic, it seemed like a potential breaking point between the two players. Despite that drama, both remained cornerstone pieces for the Jazz roster.
Fast forward to today, and Gobert still finds himself addressing rumors about his relationship with Mitchell.
On Monday, SiriusXM radio host Sean O’Connell reported that the two players had reached such an impasse coming off the first-round loss to the Mavericks that Gobert told the Jazz that it was “me or him.” The report claimed that either Gobert or Mitchell had to be traded — or else the two could not coexist as teammates with realistic championship hopes.
Rudy feels that his own numbers are consistent or getting better, while Don is D liability and is falling off in terms of explosiveness. Gobert also aware of at least 1 Western Conference power that would be willing to pay handsomely for his abilities. (NBA teams never tamper..)
— Sean O'Connell (@realOCsports) May 2, 2022
While both Gobert and Mitchell have been mentioned in trade rumors recently, Gobert didn’t seem to think much of this latest report.
He took to Twitter to comment on the situation.
Everyday has it’s own new “rumor” 🙄
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) May 2, 2022
Both players are under contract through 2025 with player options in 2026, so neither Gobert nor Mitchell would be able to leave in free agency anytime soon. So, either the Jazz will have to make a move or these rumors will continue for years.
What could go wrong?