The Utah Jazz made significant strides towards improving on their vastly deficient positional versatility this offseason with the additions of Rudy Gay and Eric Paschall. Each man profiles as the type of small-ball center the Jazzmen were missing against the Los Angeles Clippers in last season’s Western Conference semifinals.
Nonetheless, observers should not make the mistake of drawing conclusions about 3x Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert’s importance to this roster in light of these changes. His elite rim protection figures to be as heavily featured as ever in the quest for the franchise’s first NBA title.