Following reports that Utah Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell are not in good terms, the former broke his silence and claimed his relationship with the shooting guard can be described as "great." The two players tested positive for COVID-19 with Gobert become the first in the NBA to be infected by the virus, which led to the indefinite suspension of the season.
In recent days, reports suggested that the two were not in good terms, stemming from the coronavirus outbreak that saw them catching the killer bug. Although both Gobert and Mitchell recovered, the latter was said to harbor resentment on how the situation turned out.
While the Jazz big man is officially known as the first to get the virus, it was never confirmed that he was the source of Mitchell's infection. That being the case, it seemed that Mitchell disapproved of the way Gobert behaved at the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, according to Clutch Points.
Before they were infected, Gobert made light of the then rising health crisis and seemingly dismissed the seriousness of the pandemic. His actions came off as irresponsible and put a strain on his relationship with Mitchell, and the latter is said to be reluctant to fix the damage.
"It doesn't appear salvageable," the report said, quoting a claim made on the matter by The Athletic.
However, Gobert himself dismissed the insinuations that he is at odds with his Jazz teammate. The defensive specialist said he has a "great relationship" with Mitchell, according to Bleacher Report.
"Their relationship is great and they're focused on winning championships together," said the report on the clarifications made by Gobert.
The big man also indicated that he's really close with the Jazz shooting guard but made clear that they were not feuding as portrayed in recent media reports.
The same report also stated that Gobert and Mitchell have talked about the issue and it looked like that while things were yet to be settled completely, "they're working on turning the page."
Needless to say, Gobert and Mitchell patching up will be of advantage for the Utah Jazz. The two are key to the club's campaign with the center regarded as the most potent defensive around. The guard, on the other hand, is a rising force not only for Utah but also for the league.
The Jazz boasts of 41 wins before the season was halted and for the most part, the good standing was because of the consistent contribution coming from the pair, both on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
