Alex Goodlett is a photographer.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was placed in the NBA's health and safety protocols.
The 29-year-old Frenchman is in the midst of his ninth NBA season and is currently averaging 15 points, 15.1 rebound and 2.3 blocks per game.
Gobert was named an All-Star for the first time in his career, as he averaged more than 15 points, 13.5 rebound and 2.0 blocks per game.
The NBA season was suspended in March 2020 when Gobert was the first known player to test positive for COVID-19. Gobert came back to play in the season restart. He won his third NBA Defensive Player of the Year award last season, as he averaged a career-high 2.7 blocks per game.
Gobert won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award for the second year in a row, as he averaged 15.9 points, 12.9 rebound and 2.3 blocks per game in his career, which was a career high.
Gobert had an average of 13 points, 10.7 rebound and 2.3 blocks per game in the 56 games he played in the year.
Between two seasons that saw him appear in 81 contests, Gobert missed 26 games.
He was named to the All-NBA Second Team and the All-Defensive First Team after putting up 14.0 points, 12.8 rebound and an NBA-leading 2.6 blocks per game.
Gobert was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 27th pick in the first round of the NBA draft, but quickly traded to Utah.
Gobert quickly became a strong defensive presence and developed into an offensive threat for the Jazz.
The Jazz don't have a lot of depth at the moment, so they will struggle to replace his production.
The top candidates to take on additional minutes are Udoka Azubuike and Eric Paschall. Whiteside is currently in concussion protocols.
Utah's talented backcourt will be under added pressure to pick up the slack, with fifth-year man Donovan Mitchell and veteran Mike Conley leading the way in that regard.
Although the Jazz may have enough to pick up the offensive slack without Gobert, it doesn't have another healthy big on the roster capable of impacting the game defensively in the way he does.
