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SALT LAKE CITY — Rudy Gobert went on fellow Frenchman Tony Parker's podcast Monday, telling Parker that he "likes it there" in Utah.
Gobert, who has just finished playing with Parker in FIBA's EuroBasket tournament, told Parker on the "Tony Parker Show" podcast that he likes being in Utah and doesn't think the Jazz will let him leave.
Here's the transcript, translated from French for Salt City Hoops by Max Jacoby.
Tony Parker: Concerning your contract, in any case, there won't be any problems with Utah, it's going well and you want to stay there? Rudy Gobert: Me, I want to stay there. Jacques Monclar (co-host, jokingly): He's gathering information. Tony Parker (also jokingly): I thought we could get him for the Spurs, but I know Utah won't let him leave. Rudy Gobert: Frankly, I like it there, and I like the project. Of course, we all know how the NBA works, but I don't think Utah will let me leave, and I like it there. I think our future is bright.
Gobert still has two more seasons under Utah's direct control. He'll make $1,175,880 this season and $2,121,287 in 2016-17. In the summer of 2017, Gobert will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Jazz would have the rights to match any offer he received from any of the other 29 NBA teams. In other words, even if he didn't want to be, he'd still be a Jazzman for a while.
But that Gobert likes it in Utah and has bought into the Jazz's rebuilding project is a good sign for the Jazz. In particular, it means he won't likely ask for a trade like former center Enes Kanter. Furthermore, he likely wouldn't choose to sign the one-year qualifying offer that would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
The Jazz do have an ability to offer Gobert an extension next summer, and if he continues his upward trajectory, that extension offer would very likely be a maximum one. That offer would give Gobert some long-term flexibility while still saving the Jazz some money due to the rising cap. It looks like that's the most likely possibility for Gobert's future and would keep him in a Jazz contract until 2021 or 2022.
In other words, if you like Gobert, good news: You're likely to see him in Utah for a long time.
