Things between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert apparently have been a bit strained the last two months, to say the least.
The two Jazz teammates tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of Utah’s matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on March 11, prompting the NBA to indefinitely suspend the 2019-20 season. Gobert took plenty of heat after acting carelessly about the virus in the days leading up to his diagnosis, from comments downplaying its severity to playfully touching reporters’ microphones to make a point.
Donovan reportedly was initially “reluctant” to mend fences with Gobert after the two tested positive for the coronavirus, but things appear to have changed.
Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey says the two “know they need each other to accomplish the goals that we want to accomplish, to be the last team standing in the NBA.”
“I think they both have spoken to this. They’re ready to put this behind them and move forward, act professionally,” Lindsey said Tuesday during a Zoom conference call, per the Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen. “The night of March (11) was really unprecedented and brought a microscope to our team, and we get it.”
“… We look forward to moving forward. They’ve said their peace to each other. They’ve both visited at the ownership level, at management level, at coaching level, the players level. They’re fulling participating in our Zoom workouts.”
Lindsey, cont. "We look forward to moving forward. They've said their piece to each other. They've both visited at the ownership level, at management level, at coaching level, the players level. They're fulling participating in our Zoom workouts."
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) May 5, 2020
But there’s a bigger goal at stake, and both players know it.
“At the end of the day … at the most basic level, they know they need each other to accomplish the goals that we want to accomplish, to be the last team standing in the NBA,” Lindsey added.
Lindsey, to conclude on Mitchell/Gobert: "At the end of the day regarding Donovan and Rudy, at the most basic level, they know they need each other to accomplish the goals that we want to accomplish, to be the last team standing in the NBA."
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) May 5, 2020
We’ll see if there’s any truth to this mended friendship whenever the NBA resumes play and the Jazz take the floor.
