As the NBA season stands on indefinite hold due to the league’s imposed safety suspension for the coronavirus, the Utah Jazz might need to use that time to repair tension within the locker room.
On Wednesday night, Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. Moments after Gobert tested positive and with his teammates quarantined and undergoing tests in the locker room, the NBA suspended operations indefinitely. The Jazz announced on Thursday that star guard Donovan Mitchell also tested positive for COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt that Jazz players are pissed at Gobert and there is an even larger rift between him and Mitchell.
Wojnarowski previously reported that multiple players blamed Gobert for acting carelessly in the locker room when he was sick. While Gobert was unaware that he had the coronavirus at the time, the 27-year-old messed with teammates by grabbing their things and grabbing them.
RELATED: NBA suspends operations indefinitely
Gobert also showed careless behavior a few days before during an interview with reporters. After completing his media session, he jokingly touched every reporter’s phone and recording device. As a result, multiple reporters had to be quarantined and undergo testing within the past 24 hours.
While Gobert has since issued an apology for his behavior and for endangering those around him, it’s hard to see one statement fixing things within the locker room.
The Jazz would have already faced difficulties to begin with whenever the NBA season returns as a playoff team with a long layoff. Now with the friction in the locker room, things will be even more difficult whenever they come back together.