The Utah Jazz have seemingly navigated locker room tensions for years, with stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell often at odds. Unfortunately for one of the best teams in the NBA, the turmoil inside the locker room only seems to be getting worse.
Gobert and Mitchell have never been close friends, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. But the unforgettable moment before Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 regarding his actions with reports and teammates. While it did some damage to his relationships with some teammates in the locker room, the most damaging effect happened to Gobert and Mitchell’s relationship.
Since reports first surfaced in March 2020 that Mitchell wasn’t speaking to Gobert following his teammate’s reckless behavior, new details have come out every few months about where things stand. Nearly two years later, before the NBA trade deadline, the latest reports suggested things were in a bad place.
Related: Rocky relationship between Utah Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert
Even as the Jazz are in the heart of the Western Conference playoff race, holding the No. 4 seed entering mid-February, things don’t seem to be improving within the locker room.
On The Crossover podcast with Howard Beck and Chris Mannix, Beck shared that tensions still exist in the Jazz locker room. Far more concerning, it reportedly “might be a little worse than we’ve been led to believe.” He also added that rumors of Mitchell wanting out will likely return this summer.
Both Mitchell and Gobert would certainly deny the report publicly, but the number of reporters who have detailed the rift between Utah’s two stars provides validity.
Mitchell is in the first season of a five-year, $163 million contract extension. But in an era of the NBA where players hold the power, the All-Star guard could demand a trade and he would likely get his wish.
Only turning 26 next season, Mitchell is just entering the prime of his career. If the Utah Jazz fail to make a deep playoff run this year, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mitchell asks for a trade to land in a better environment with a chance to become a bigger star.