Jazz, Rudy Gobert agree on 4-year contract extension worth $102 million

The Jazz and Rudy Gobert are close to an agreement on a four-year contract extension for $102 million, which will keep the big man from entering restricted free agency, reports Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

Gobert was a surprisingly good find for the Jazz late in the 2013 draft. Utah traded for the 27th pick and selected the French big man, who had been considered a potential lottery pick before falling. The concern was that the 7'1 center would not be effective enough on either end against NBA players. After a rough rookie year, he proved his doubters wrong, emerging as a force on the defensive end thanks to his length and mobility. He displaced Enes Kanter in the starting lineup and helped define the Jazz's identity.

After failing to make the playoffs in an injury-riddled 2015-16 season, Utah went all in this past summer, bringing in veterans George Hill, Joe Johnson, and Boris Diaw in order to bolster its young core. It's obvious the front office is happy with the foundation they have and Gobert is an integral part of it. Locking him down long term now makes a lot of sense, as it keeps him away from restricted free agency and doesn't affect greatly the Jazz's ability to add pieces next season.

It's on offense where he has to improve, as he has no jumper and is a mediocre finisher for someone who possesses elite physical tools. He's prone to turnovers as well, especially when he gets the ball in traffic. Playing next to another big man with no three-point range like Derrick Favors doesn't make things easy, but if that's the long-term big man pairing, both will need to get better in order for Utah to have an elite offense.