Utah Jazz: Should Rudy Gobert Start At Center?

By Ben Woodward | Sep 17, 2014

Apr 11, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) grabs a rebound during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /

With a 2014-15 NBA season approaching on the horizon for the Utah Jazz, various questions still remain unanswered regarding the starting lineup, and who gets the lion’s share of minutes at center — Enes Kanter or Rudy Gobert.

Most Jazz fans seem to be under the impression that the starting lineup is set, with Turkish big man Enes Kanter anchoring the paint at the center position. Meanwhile, France’s Rudy Gobert dazzled on the international stage of the 2014 FIBA World Cup, stating his case to Jazz front office and fans that he’s the real deal.

So who gets the start at center for the Jazz? Let’s see a quick breakdown of each man.

Enes Kanter, the current favorite to start the year, is listed at 6’ 11”, 262 pounds. The 22-year-old is entering his fourth season in the NBA, all with the Utah Jazz. Kanter’s role with the team has gradually increased each season since he was drafted third overall in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Last season with Utah, Kanter appeared in all but two games and he got the nod to start 37 contests. He posted strong numbers in his time on the court, averaging 12.3 points, 7.5 total rebounds, 2.8 offensive rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game. Kanter managed a respectable yet forgettable field goal percentage, shooting 49 percent from the floor.

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Perhaps one of the bigger knocks on Kanter is his shot selection, both location and quantity.

On field goal attempts taken from zero to three feet from the basket, Kanter’s field goal percentage was nearly 64 percent. That’s fine and dandy, but these shots only accounted for 39 percent of his total attempts in 2013-14. That means the other 61 percent of his shots came from three feet or further from the hoop, where he averaged a dismal 20 percent.

When Kanter took less than 10 shots in a game, the Jazz were 18-17. Hey, not bad! But when Kanter took 10 shots or more, the Jazz were 7-40. Yeesh.

Did Tyrone Corbin see those numbers? Because I’m really stumped as to how Kanter was allowed to continue in his ways. As the new assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings, I’m half-expecting to see 7’ 5” Sim Bhullar clanking shots off the backboard from mid-range at the direction of Corbin.

It wasn’t all bad for Enes Kanter. He showed he’s got the size and strength to play center in the NBA. He posted 24 double-doubles, mostly when playing more than 30 minutes. He’s a beast on the offensive glass, finishing 10th in the league in offensive rebound percentage (11.6).

If this guy starts, and Quin Snyder manages his shot selection, he can be an extremely effective piece for the Utah Jazz going forward.

Rudy Gobert is, at the moment, the backup center for the Utah Jazz. But after a breakout performance with the French team in the 2014 FIBA World Basketball Cup, Gobert is forcing the Jazz front office to re-evaluate his projected role and minutes at the very least.

Listed at 7’ 1”, 220 pounds, Gobert has established himself as a rim-protecting, paint-scoring center with a wingspan that goes on forever. In Summer League action, Gobert averaged 11.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He also shot the ball at a ridiculous 73 percent from the floor.

In limited floor time with the French team in the FIBA tournament, Gobert chipped in by keeping that high-percentage shooting alive, finishing at 66 percent. His best game came against Spain, where he pulled down 13 rebounds against arguably one of the best frontcourts in the tournament.

When it comes to shot selection, Rudy Gobert is the anti-Kanter. In his 2013-14 NBA season in which he was very seldom-used (45 appearances, 9.6 minutes per game), Gobert shot just about 49 percent in his rookie campaign.

The difference between him and Kanter? Gobert properly utilizes his skill set, and he knows his bread and butter. Seventy-eight percent of his shot attempts came from three feet or closer to the rim. Dunks and layups made up the majority of his attempts, taking just 10 jump shots throughout the year.

Zach Lowe of Grantland summarizes how most NBA fans probably feel about Rudy Gobert at the moment:

Rudy Gobert's NBA future becomes more interesting to me every time I watch him. A guy I'd like to have in my organization.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) August 30, 2014

He moves well, he protects the rim, and he scores effectively when he’s dunking and shooting in close. This creates a good problem for the Utah Jazz as they piece together their front court of the future. Guys like Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward could be on track for big-time breakout seasons, and Rudy Gobert may not be far off from there either.