Report: Rudy Gobert Tabbed as Possible Target for Mavericks by NBA Execs
Multiple NBA executives have highlighted the Dallas Mavericks as a potential landing spot for Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, according to ESPN's Zach Lowe.
Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reported Oct. 27 the Mavs are willing to move anybody on the roster with the exception of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis in pursuit of star-level talent.
Gobert and teammate Donovan Mitchell appear to have moved on from the difficulties that arose from their positive COVID-19 tests in March.
Still, Gobert is entering the final year of his contract, forcing the Jazz to think long and hard about how much they're willing to pay for a traditional center who possesses almost no ability to stretch the floor on offense.
The 28-year-old Frenchman averaged 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 2019-20, and he's excellent in the pick and roll. But Utah has to weigh whether giving him what might be a supermax deal is a better investment than signing a center who's not as good but costs far less.
Lowe wrote, "Several teams are wary of Gobert's next deal."
Dallas is a questionable fit, too.
The Mavericks finished 18th in defensive rating (111.2), per NBA.com, and Dwight Powell had his season cut short because of a torn Achillles. Acquiring a defensive-minded center in a vacuum makes sense. Acquiring a center who stands to make potentially $30-plus million doesn't work as well when Porzingis is only one year into his five-year, $158.2 million extension.
By paying Gobert, the Mavs would be tying up a lot of money in their frontcourt.
