Wanna get an idea of how big the analytics movement has gotten in the NBA? Advanced stats are now being written into player contracts.
According to a recent feature by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Rudy Gobert’s contract extension with the Utah Jazz, which kicks in this coming season, has a unique incentive written into it. If his defensive rating, the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions when a player is on the floor, is below 100, Gobert will earn an extra $250,000. The Frenchman will also earn bonuses if he is an All-Star, makes an All-Defensive Team, and meets a certain rebounding mark.
For Gobert, who had a career year in 2016-17 en route to All-Defensive First Team honors and an All-NBA Second Team nod, qualifying for the incentive shouldn’t be too much of a problem — he has posted a defensive rating under 100 twice in his career and checked in right on the fringe at 100.6 last season. Utah’s plans to build around him next season should definitely help as well.
H/T HoopsRumors
