NBA Trade Deadline 2016: 10 players who are off limits
By John Buhler
118. . Center. Utah Jazz. Rudy Gobert. 10. player
Rudy Gobert is a young, defensive stalwart for Quin Snyder’s Utah Jazz. Gobert’s Jazz are in eighth place in the Western Conference at 26-26 heading into the 2016 NBA All-Star Break. For the Jazz to stay relevant in the West, they will need their terrific rim protector to anchor their defense. Now and for the foreseeable future, Gobert isn’t going anywhere.
Utah may inevitably get trounced by the Golden State Warriors in the No. 1/No. 8 first round series, but the Jazz need some playoff experience under Snyder and this young corps of Gobert, small forward Gordon Hayward, and power forward Derrick Favors.
The best way for the Jazz to get into the Western Conference playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 NBA season is to continue to play at their sluggish pace and force opponents to try to scoring on their stifling defense. With Gobert, the Jazz are last in the league pace at 90.6 possessions per game, but third in the NBA in opponents’ points scored per game at 96.4.
Gobert is only 23 years old and is possibly already the best player on an exciting young Jazz corps in Salt Lake City. He leads his team in defensive rating at 99 and boasts an outstanding 120 offensive rating when he is on the court. Utah will want to make the Western Conference Playoffs now and in the future. Trading Gobert would only set the club back.
Next: 9. Kristaps Porzingis