This is like a perfect example, LIVE, of why lawmakers should not be allowed anywhere near the maps and basically a non-factor in the process. They won't be able to help themselves, even when under court order. They don't want to risk losing their jobs and many of them don't even want to have to actually run in a competitive election and will do whatever they have to in order to avoid it. It's a massive conflict of interest and one of the founding father's biggest mistakes.
Agreed, even if they don't do a partisan gerrymander they'll do an incumbent protection gerrymander and there are many ways for them to deviate from a fair map. Voters should choose their politicians rather than politicians choosing their voters, after all.