Jazz, Rudy Gobert Agree to Five-Year Extension

Gobert was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year in both 2017-18 and 2018-19.

All-Star center Rudy Gobert is signing a five-year extension worth $205 million with the Jazz, Gobert told ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

According to ESPN, the deal is the largest for a center in league history. 

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the agreement includes a player-option for the fifth season.

"It means that they believe in me," Gobert told ESPN. "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."

Gobert was entering the final season of a four-year, $102 million contract and was widely regarded as one of the top free agents of next year's class. He has been an All-NBA selection in three of the last four seasons and was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year in both 2017–18 and 2018–19. Last season, Gobert made his first All-Star team, averaging 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and two blocks per game. 

Dear Utah... pic.twitter.com/S806F4oZ6d

— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) December 20, 2020

Utah's decision to extend the star center also helps solidify the franchise's long-term future. This offseason, the Jazz inked All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to a five-year extension, linking the two players together for years to come.

"I want to win, and I feel like leaving this money on the table for the team just to be able to have better talent around me and Donovan was really important," Gobert said. "I want to win, and I believe in this group and I believe in this organization, and I was willing to leave that money on the table for them."

The Jazz enter this season looking to make their fifth consecutive postseason appearance, but will hope to advance past the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2006–07. 

On Friday, the NBA approved Ryan Smith, who made his fortune as the co-founder of the Utah-based tech firm Qualtrics, as the franchise's new owner. 

The Jazz's 2020–21 NBA season gets underway on Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.