Rudy Gobert, Jazz Agree to Historic 5-Year, $205M Contract Extension

The Utah Jazz have locked down center Rudy Gobert with a five-year, $205 million extension, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

Gobert reacted to the deal on Twitter:

It's the largest deal in NBA history for a center and the third-largest ever behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook.

"It means that they believe in me," Gobert said. "They believe in what we've been building over the years with this whole organization, with coach [Quin Snyder] and all the guys. For me, it's an incredible blessing. It's a very motivating feeling to know that we all share the same vision and we all share this goal for this state and for this franchise."

The Jazz also celebrated the deal in a video narrated by Boris Diaw:

Gobert was eligible for a supermax of $228 million over five years but said he left money on the table to help the team's flexibility going forward.

With the Jazz also signing Donovan Mitchell to a five-year extension last month, the team has now secured its two biggest stars through at least the 2024-25 season.

Gobert will have a player option ahead of the final year of his deal, as will Mitchell.

The 28-year-old Gobert is mostly known for his defensive prowess, averaging 2.2 blocks per game during his career. He has been named Defensive Player of the Year twice and has been first-team All-Defense the past four seasons.

His offensive game has also been improving, as he averaged at least 15 points per game the past two seasons while earning his first All-Star selection in 2019-20.

Gobert finished last season averaging 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, while his 10.7 win shares ranked fifth in the NBA, per Basketball Reference. He finished tied for second in win shares in 2018-19.

Even when he doesn't take many shots, the French star has proved to be a difference-maker. The next step for Utah is playoff success after losing in the first round the past two seasons.