post draft off season part II-bring on the roster moves!

[Xiao Yao You]

Clarkson and Hughes need to go. Starting PF. Bojan to bench.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50214913/utah-jazz-trade-derrick-favors-to-thunder-in-cost-cutting-move


Favors was a major piece in Utah's rise to playoff contention during his first eight seasons in Utah before being traded to New Orleans in 2019. He only sparingly had the same impact in his return season. Favors, 30, averaged 5.4 points and 5.5 rebounds last season in a limited role behind Gobert. Depending on Conley's figure, the Jazz could stand to save upwards of $40 million in tax money with the trade.



major piece?


Considering Favors' production last season, it's a move that makes sense, but it's also one that shows the cold reality of the NBA. It's the second time in three seasons Favors has been traded from Utah in a cost-cutting move. Two summers ago, with the team looking to move the roster to a more offensively potent unit, Favors was dealt to New Orleans in order to open up space for Conley and free agent Bojan Bogdanovic.



more the hard stupidity of the Jazz. How many picks now to get rid of guys they should have never signed?


In the last two seasons, the team has spent two first-round picks — Udoka Azubuike last season and now this trade (plus some more assets along the way) — addressing the 15 or so minutes Gobert isn't in the game.

gave up picks to get rid of Bradley who was cheap and improving and Davis who should have never been signed when they needed a starting 4 and still do. Picks to get rid of Exum. Burke I think too. Nice job Wizard!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50214529/utah-jazz-trade-down-and-grab-baylors-jared-butler-with-no-40-pick


He could envision Jared Butler's fit with the team; how his experience at not only playing but winning at high levels could help the Utah Jazz; how he, as a rookie, may be able to find a way into the rotation.



unless he went to Duke probably not. Stars will be glad to have him though!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464826/mailbag-jazz-draft-butler-trade-favors/


It’s rare then to turn around and use that cleared cap space to bring back more salary. It’s like selling the timeshare that the family can’t afford only to use that money to buy a boat.



Would like to think they got rid of Favors because he sucks not just to clear money. Still need players


I think after adding Butler in the backcourt, considering they already have Trent Forrest, and the other four main guard pieces that ate up the majority of the minutes last season, the backcourt doesn’t need further help.



They have Mitchell and maybe Conley and ideally Ingles and O'Neale if they get the starting 4 they desperately need but a rookie isn't likely to help COTY, Forrest can't shoot and might be gone now, Clarkson sucks and Oni is an end of the bench energy guy until proven otherwise. They can certainly do more


Smith and Zanik seem to believe the Jazz championship window is firmly open right now and they are willing to pay the price to compete at that level. That’s good ownership/management and a good sign for Jazz fans.



COTY still has his job and it doesn't sound like Clarkson is going anywhere so it's hard to get excited about paying tax


I’d expect Jarrell Brantley, Juwan Morgan, Trent Forrest, Elijah Hughes, Udoka Azubuike, Matt Thomas, and MaCio Teague who the Jazz signed as an undrafted free agent) to be on the roster.



Oni should be


However, he played four years at Kansas and has an NBA body so the adjustment to the NBA shouldn’t be as steep as it is for other young big men. At some point, he probably needs to be thrown into the pool to see if he’ll sink or swim.



start with summer league, camp and the Stars first


I think there is some hindsight at play here that makes the Favors signing look worse today than it did at the time.



looked horrible at the time and blaming all the problems on Bradley was even worse


In that sense, it wasn’t a bad deal at the time, though it was far from a home run.



they don't have a PF that COTY will play so like Davis the year before it looked horrible and was even worse when he sucked


What continues to be perplexing is the decision to use a first-round draft pick on Azubuike last year when they were planning on giving Favors such an enormous deal just days later.



that made total sense. The draft is for the future not now.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://twitter.com/MarkDeeksNBA/status/1421139337304055816/photo/1

summer league names

[Xiao Yao You]

Dan Weiss: GM Brian Wright told me in our draft recap show that Devin Vassell & Tre Jones will both be playing on the @spurs summer league squads in Utah & Las Vegas (http://twitter.com/DanWeissPBP/status/1421254450438680577).
– via Twitter (http://twitter.com/DanWeissPBP/status/1421254450438680577)

[Xiao Yao You]

Alex Kennedy: Jahlil Tripp (@swaggy__jah) has committed to play with the Utah Jazz during the Salt Lake City Summer League next month, (https://*********.com/social/) a league source told @basketbllnews. Tripp spent last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League Bubble.
– via Twitter AlexKennedyNBA (https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA)

[El Kabong]

Sounds like they're holding out for Nic Batum to want to team up with Rudy. Oni has been shooting the ball decently from 3 in the Olympics, so hopefully that's a sign he's improved a bit. MaCio Teague is another 6-4 guard, so not sure why he's coming in, but guess he has talent.

Backup C a bit of a problem now. No choice but to play Azubuike and hope he doesn't totally suck, though the Thunder didn't extend the QO to Bradley, so maybe you can bring him back cheap too. Doesn't fix the playoff issue though, Dok is unplayable in the playoffs, so need to find a point of difference there, instead of trying to find a replica of Gobert so you don't need to chance anything when he rests.

[Xiao Yao You]

Schroder will be competing with several other free agents at the same position, including Kyle Lowry, Lonzo Ball, Mike Conley, Spencer Dinwiddie and Paul (if he opts out of his final year). “He may get squeezed,” a Western Conference executive told Bleacher (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2946554-biggest-questions-and-answers-from-blockbuster-lakers-russell-westbrook-trade) Report.
– via Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2946554-biggest-questions-and-answers-from-blockbuster-lakers-russell-westbrook-trade)

[Xiao Yao You]

Sounds like they're holding out for Nic Batum to want to team up with Rudy. Oni has been shooting the ball decently from 3 in the Olympics, so hopefully that's a sign he's improved a bit. MaCio Teague is another 6-4 guard, so not sure why he's coming in, but guess he has talent.

Backup C a bit of a problem now. No choice but to play Azubuike and hope he doesn't totally suck, though the Thunder didn't extend the QO to Bradley, so maybe you can bring him back cheap too. Doesn't fix the playoff issue though, Dok is unplayable in the playoffs, so need to find a point of difference there, instead of trying to find a replica of Gobert so you don't need to chance anything when he rests.

Batum wouldn't have played much last year if they'd had him. Would have probably been in Oni or maybe Niang's slot. Got to have a coach that will play the guys you sign. Guess if they give him their exception and Niang is gone he might get minutes. Should probably start but so should Ersan have

Oni is streaky. He started out horribly for the Stars before finishing well as a rookie and started out last year well. I think he can be a good shooter.

Bradley will be cheap and he fits and is getting better but they wouldn't admit they blew it again. They have to get a seasoned vet. Udoka looked nowhere near ready. He needs to get big minutes with the Stars. Always thought they needed a different look from Gobert. Never thought that was a good idea

[Xiao Yao You]

Italy made it to the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games after storming back against Nigeria to secure the win, 80-71, at Saitama Super Arena on Saturday (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/olympic-games/1233961/italy-defeats-nigeria-80-71-olympic-games/). Nicolo Melli and Achille Polonara put the finishing touches on a 14-0 sprint generating a 70-64 lead. The European side held on to secure the victory punching in the ticket for the next round. The team led by Meo Sacchetti will rank first in Group B if Germany beats Australia by a margin of 17 points or less later in Tokyo. It will be in second place in any other case. A helpful reminder, the three group winners and the best-placed second will be seeded for Sunday’s draw.

– via EuroHoops.net (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/olympic-games/1233961/italy-defeats-nigeria-80-71-olympic-games/)




Time for summer league Oni

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464751/jazz-trade-30th-pick-to-memphis-grizzlies/


The Jazz had depleted their draft stockpile in recent seasons acquiring Mike Conley from the Grizzlies and trading for Jarrell Brantley in 2019, but now have access to additional trade and draft assets in the coming season.



let's say the main reason why they were depleted at least. Having to pay teams to take bad contracts

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464866/italy-advances-to-olympic-quarterfinals-tops-nigeria-80-71/

Utah Jazz guard Miye Oni scored three points on 1/8 shooting, including 1/6 on three-pointers. He added two rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes on the court.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464863/australia-beats-germany-89-76-to-sweep-basketball-pool/

Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles scored six points on 2-8 shooting, including 2-6 on three-pointers. He added five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Ingles posted a plus-11 rating during his nearly 27 minutes of action.


Former Jazzman Dante Exum added eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464854/gobert-sees-limited-minutes-for-france-against-iran/

The Utah Jazz star played just under 18 minutes for the French National team, recording six points, four rebounds, an assist, and two steals as they blew out Iran 79-62 (http://www.fiba.basketball/olympics/men/2020/game/3107/Iran-France#tab=boxscore).


Gobert played all of his minutes in the first and third quarters of the matchup, resting the second and fourth quarters.


Gobert and France move onto the quarterfinals where they will be joined by Jazz teammate Joe Ingles and Australia. Luka Doncic and Slovenia, while former Jazzman Ricky Rubio and Spain have already advanced to the quarterfinals as well.


The quarterfinals is made up of the top two teams from each of the three group play tournaments, plus the two best third-place finishers. So far, the Gobert-led French roster is the only team to advance to the quarterfinals with a perfect record.


The Men’s Olympic Basketball quarterfinals will begin on Monday.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22601142/baylor-bears-guard-jared-butler-impressed-jazz-off-the-court-and-on-justin-zanik-sunday-school


“I’m very proud of our staff that does a really good job of making sure that we have as much intel and information,” Zanik said. “We’ve had an opportunity to closely follow that from some personal ties, not necessarily to Jared, but to the (Baylor) program. That gives you a lot more confidence in the information you’re seeing and taking in.”



i.e. the Wizard Lindsey

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22602453/nba-offseason-central-utah-jazz-mike-conley-jared-butler

(https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22602453/nba-offseason-central-utah-jazz-mike-conley-jared-butler)Speaking of Conley and free agency, NBA reporter Marc Stein reported Friday that the Jazz are preparing to offer him a 3-year, $75 million deal next week.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22602030/national-media-loved-the-utah-jazz-selection-of-jared-butler-in-the-nba-draft


Hollinger was downright excited about the pick, writing, “Yes!!! Great pick for Utah ... at this point in the draft the risk of a player failing due to lack of talent far exceeds any risk of him failing due to injury. Butler gives the Jazz a high-level combo guard who can play next to Donovan Mitchell or Mike Conley (https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22602079/the-utah-jazz-reportedly-have-a-contract-offer-ready-for-mike-conley-nba-free-agency), and could be good enough to play rotation minutes right away.”

there's no reason to expect him to be ready to play right away. COTY might play him like he has other rookies but he won't be ready. No one has been yet


“Didn’t think the NCAA tournament’s most outstanding player would slide that far into the second round. ... Still, his college resume speaks for itself: third-team All-American in 2020 and a consensus first-team All-American in 2021 as he led the Bears to a national championship.”



Trey Burke had quite the resume too :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22601802/reports-utah-jazz-will-trade-derrick-favors-to-oklahoma-city-thunder


Favors’ production dropped off big time, however, and the Jazz’s Achilles’ heel during their second-round playoff exit against the LA Clippers (Favors played the best he had all season in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies) was that they had no options to go small at center to match the Clippers.





they had several options. Just didn't have a coach willing to try any other options. He still has a job! :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22598631/utah-jazz-liked-jared-butler-and-were-happy-to-get-him-with-40th-pick-in-nba-draft


Originally Butler had committed to play at Alabama, but was granted a release from his letter of intent and accepted a scholarship from Baylor — a spot that was coincidentally opened by the sudden retirement of Jake Lindsey (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/big12/2019/03/05/baylor-guard-jake-lindsey-diagnosed-rare-disorder-quits-basketball/3068420002/), the son of former Jazz vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey (https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/27/22553491/utah-jazz-executive-dennis-lindsey-moving-into-advisory-role-with-the-team).



interesting


Despite the fact that Butler doesn’t have the greatest wingspan (6-foot-4), it hasn’t held him back on the defensive end. He’s incredibly active with his hands, averaging two steals per game in his junior season, plus a ton of deflections.



obviously Lindsey isn't any charge anymore. The obsession over length may be over in Utah finally


Even if we assume that all is not finalized until Aug. 6, which is when all free agents and signings can be made official, it should mean that Butler will be available to play in the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League, which begins on Aug. 8.



that sucks

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/follow-the-benjamins-money-tracker/


Utah: The Jazz are $13M or so under the tax without even accounting for Conley, so it will likely be just the TMLE for them. (They also have TPEs, the largest of which they just created in the Derrick Favors deal. But it’s unlikely they use them since the whole point there was to avoid a massive tax bill.)



hopefully the main point was to get better. Favors sucked


The Knicks can maybe offer something close. They were a No. 4 seed last season and figure to bring back most of their core, including All-Star Julius Randle. Of the major cap space teams, they’re the closest to being able to call themselves a contender, but even a Conley addition probably doesn’t move them into the East’s top tier. The Spurs just missed the playoffs and the Thunder will be in rebuilding mode.



Conley might move NY up in the mix for homecourt in first round


Then there are the seven teams who could create room for an 8-figure offer to Conley, but only with sacrifices elsewhere on the roster. Are the Bulls contenders if they add Conley but lose all of Markkanen, Satoransky and Young? What about New Orleans without Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart? Phoenix if the replace Chris Paul with Conley? Toronto is entering a rebuild, and Charlotte can only get to the low teens in cap space.



NO, Phoenix and Charlotte could all be interesting with Conley


The teams to watch in this group are probably Dallas and Miami. With superstar Luka Doncic, the Mavs can likely still be competitive even if Hardaway gets away, and the Heat could still get into Mike’s price range by letting Dragic and Iguodala walk, but keeping the Nunn/Robinson duo. Both teams could theoretically make Conley a $20M-plus offer and promise him a more-or-less competitive situation.



they'd be good fits


Bottom line: the Jazz have the advantage here. They need to show Conley the love and make their best pitch. If they make him feel wanted and present him with a respectable offer, nobody can offer the combination of money and competitiveness that Utah can.



hard to imagine him leaving if they pay more and give more years and even then...

[Xiao Yao You]

h


George Hill, 0.3 WAR

Point, UFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? This is probably only realistic if Hill is ready to enter the “deep reserve” phase of his career — and if there are no bad feeling from the way his earlier Utah stint ended.



deep reserve? He should be their first guard. Was a great fit


JaMychal Green, 0.0 WAR

Big, Declined $7.6M option

Logical Jazz Target? Green is mostly a big, but he shoots and he has spent enough time guarding marquee wings that he should probably be on the list now that he has opted out.



should have been high on their list a few times now


JaVale McGee, 0.0 WAR

Big, UFA, $4.2M last year

Logical Jazz Target? Another traditional center who the Jazz may consider now that Favors is gone. He’s good at shutting down isos, but otherwise is not a real defensive presence.



low IQ headcase and the Jazz? No thanks!


Austin Rivers, 0.0 WAR

Point, UFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? Despite lighting the Jazz up in MSG, he’s a fairly average shooter overall. I could see Utah looking into this if a too-good-to-be-true Clarkson trade opportunity presented itself, but outside of that I don’t see where Rivers fills a need. He’s not really a Conley clone.



ANY Clarkson deal would be too good to be true. Take Rivers over him anyday


Frank Ntilikina, 0.0 WAR

Point, RFA, $6.2M last year
Logical Jazz Target? Ntilikina just put up his best shooting season (48% from three, albeit on a small sample), but overall New York appears to finally be moving on mentally from the former lottery pick.



good defender. Might be someone to look at on the cheap


Terence Davis, 0.0 WAR

Wing, RFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? He’s small (6’4″) but he’s an OK shooter and he has had success guarding guys who try to score with the ball in their hands. Overall D stats don’t love him, but there could be some potential there.



nothing wrong with potential


Trey Lyles, 0.0 WAR

Big, UFA, $5.5M last year
Logical Jazz Target? Lyles didn’t jive with certain other personnel during his brief Jazz career — including bristling at Snyder’s thorough practices — so this might be a non-starter.



too bad. He had potential as well


Juwan Morgan, 0.0 WAR

Big, RFA, Minimum last year
Logical Jazz Target? The Jazz still like the idea of Morgan, but it probably wasn’t a great sign when they signed Ersan Ilyasova in a move that pushed the combo big further down the depth chart.



Ersan was a great move as was Morgan. Keeping COTY isn't


Ersan Ilyasova, 0.0 WAR

Big, UFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? It seems kind of odd that they brought the veteran in while touting his playoff experience but then practically never used him. We’ll see if the Jazz are simply read to move on from that experiment.



I'd bring him back. He was one of their best players. Maybe COTY would play him after a training camp


Zach Collins, N/A (did not play)

Big, RFA, $5.4M last year
Logical Jazz Target? It sounds as though Portland may not extend a QO to Collins, a skilled big who has some defensive skills. Just not sure he fits Utah’s need.



a skilled big with defensive skills certainly fits other than the coach maybe not playing him


Moritz Wagner, -0.3 WAR

Big, UFA, Minimum last year
Logical Jazz Target? The German has the mobility to do OK on play types where he’s asked to stop the ball. He has played 84% of his career minutes at the 5, so he just got a lot more interesting in a Jazz context after the Favors deal.



sounds like a possible fit


Mike Scott, -0.5 WAR

Big, UFA, $5.0M last year
Logical Jazz Target? The Regional Manager is more of a disruptor on defense than a pure stopper, but he does have a big body and some outside ability.



possible fit


Garrett Temple, -1.6 WAR

Guard, UFA, $4.8M last year
Logical Jazz Target? Temple is tough and plays solid defense, although there might be some in his price range who do that and are also slightly more impactful on offense.



played for COTY

[Xiao Yao You]

ttps://saltcityhoops.com/2021-free-agent-tracker-with-notes-on-jazz-fit-for-every-fa/


Logical Jazz Target? You never say “never” because of the sheer talent level here, but Utah’s Quin Snyder has made it clear he wants outside shooting on the wings.



Your best player is Gobert. It was obvious back at the end of Hayward's last year that you needed to surround him with shooters. The fact that they wasted two more years with Rubio and Favors in the corner was a joke!


Danny Green, 4.6 WAR

Wing, UFA, $15.4M last year

Logical Jazz Target? Green is the best name that popped when we went searching (https://saltcityhoops.com/big-wings-who-defend-shoot-are-in-short-supply/) for guys with outside shooting, on-ball guarding skills and overall defensive impact. But for all those reasons, he might be too good for the taxpayer MLE.



might take less to go for another ring but has that chance in Philly


Nicolas Batum, 4.3 WAR

Wing, UFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? Batum had a nice bounceback year as a shooter and overall impact guy, but he isn’t great when asked to guard the guy with the ball in his hands (like on isos or P&R).



not ideal but at the 4 where he would mostly play he might be fine


Logical Jazz Target? Payne is a great catch-and-shoot guy and a solid defender, but it feels a bit like the Jazz filled that rotation spot (a third PG who can play off the ball some) on draft night.

filled with a non Duke rookie?


Bobby Portis, 3.2 WAR
Big, $3.8M PO
Logical Jazz Target? A 3-and-D *big* who can shoot from deep and guard the ball, he makes some sense as Derrick Favors’ replacement, especially if the Jazz think he can guard bigger wings on a full-time basis.



Lindsey liked him. Zanik? don't need him to guard wings. Need him to allow O'Neale to concentrate on wings instead of rebounding


Nerlens Noel, 3.2 WAR

Big, UFA, $5M last year

Logical Jazz Target? Noel actually does a lot of things well that the Jazz need from their backup bigs, so I would imagine he’s somewhere on their list now that they moved Favors.



could have had him for half of what Favors got :facepalm


Evan Fournier, 2.7 WAR

Wing, UFA, $17.5M last year

Logical Jazz Target? If Fournier would consider exception money, this could be a good fit: he is close to Gobert personally, he’s only 28, and he’s a good shooter with some defensive experience against bigger wings (he’s 6’7″).



he'd have to accept coming off the bench and possibly not even playing much


Richaun Holmes, 2.7 WAR

Big, UFA, $5.0 last year
Logical Jazz Target? The Jazz have seen Holmes at his best. He’s a non-shooting big, but he’s energetic and has his moments defensively.



he's getting paid


Alec Burks, 2.4 WAR

Wing, UFA, $6M last year

Logical Jazz Target? Hey, weirder things have happened than a reunion with the 6-foot-5 guard. He just had one of his better defensive seasons, and he’s been cleaning up his shot profile to a degree, too. But the Jared Butler selection on draft night makes this less likely.



COTY prefers Clarkson :lol


Reggie Bullock, 2.4 WAR

Wing, UFA, $4.2M last year

Logical Jazz Target? If I were going to poach a bench guard from MSG, I’d look here before Burks. Bullock has more defensive chops and is better at the catch-and-shoot threes Utah lives on, even if he doesn’t have the same creation ability.



might be gettable with NY looking elsewhere possibly


Daniel Theis, 1.9 WAR

Big, UFA, $5.0 last year

Logical Jazz Target? Theis is taking (not necessarily making) more threes, which makes him marginally interesting as a Favors replacement.



like him


Alex Caruso, 1.6 WAR

Guard, UFA, $2.8M last year
Logical Jazz Target? If Caruso were two inches taller, he might be my favorite target for Utah; he shoots, he’s athletic, he is a hound on defense — but at his size, he only really makes sense if another Jazz guard is on the move somewhere else.



rather have him than Clarkson anyday


Rudy Gay, 1.6 WAR

Wing, UFA, $14.5M last year

Logical Jazz Target? There just aren’t that many guys who are 6-foot-8 and have good shooting numbers AND on-ball defensive outcomes. So I think Gay has to be under consideration, even at 35.



should be a top target


Georges Niang, 1.4 WAR

Wing, UFA, Minimum last year
Logical Jazz Target? Certain fans are determined to upgrade these particular 16 minutes a night, but Niang was actually very solid this season! Sure, he struggled in the postseason, but he played his role within the system really well — on both ends.



one of their few guys that defended. I'd guess someone will pay him and he's gone


Raul Neto, 1.1 WAR

Point, UFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? The former Jazzman just had his best pro season yet, but if Conley re-ups, the Jazz already have as many as four rotation-quality guards under 6’5″.



and he wasn't appreciated first time around. He'd be desperate to come back here or stupid


Robin Lopez, 0.8 WAR

Big, UFA, $7.3M last year

Logical Jazz Target? Lopez would be an ideal Gobert backup. But he may prefer to sign with someone who has more than 16 minutes available for him..



didn't play much more than that last year on a bad team. Like him


Trevor Ariza, 0.5 WAR

Wing, UFA, $12.8M last year
Logical Jazz Target? Ariza’s WAR (and counting stats) would look better if he had played a whole season, but he can still knock down shots and slow down on-ball scorers. He’s 36, but there appears to be something left in the tank.



should be on their list


Abdel Nader, 0.5 WAR

Wing, UFA, Minimum last year
Logical Jazz Target? Nader is actually pretty legit defensively and is a good knockdown threat from the corners. He makes some sense for Utah, and could come relatively cheap.



no one will be cheap because of the tax


Kent Bazemore, 0.3 WAR

Wing, UFA, Minimum last year

Logical Jazz Target? Bazemore’s defense has slipped a little, but he can still shoot. He’s 32, and small for a wing, but frankly, GSW played better when he started usurping more of Kelly Oubre’s minutes.



sounds like an option


Sterling Brown, 0.3 WAR
Wing, UFA, Minimum last year
Logical Jazz Target? Brown is an improving shooter and an accomplished defender. He should very much be on the radar, although I’d be more interested if he were a little bit bigger than 6’5″.



length?

[Xiao Yao You]

Adam Zagoria: Former @SetonHallMBB big man Romaro Gill is playing summer league with the Lakers, (https://*********.com/social/) per source
– via Twitter AdamZagoria (https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/7/30/22601954/utah-jazz-backup-center-problems-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors


So in the last 2 years, the Utah Jazz have burned their only remaining significant free agent possibility by using the ENTIRE MLE on a center, right after using a 1st round pick to draft a center, to then use multiple 2nd round picks to get rid of 2 centers, to then a year later use a 1st round pick to get rid of the center they just signed.



the worst part is that they needed a starting 4 not a backup 5 and still are in the same situation!


Now, hindsight is always 20/20. But last year in particular was a fire-able offense. This is what they could have come away with instead:

Pick #27: Desmond Bane

Pick #38: I’m assuming would still have been used to trade Bradley

Use the some or all of the MLE on: Dario Saric, Jakob Poelel, JaMychal Green, Aron Baynes, Chris Boucher, Kris Dunn, Nerlens Noel, Garrett Temple, Bobby Portis, Wesley Matthews, etc.



still the same coach is the problem

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-draft/2021/7/29/22601269/utah-jazz-trade-30-pick-to-memphis-grizzlies-for-pick-40-and-2-future-2nds


I guess the Jazz have determined that they don’t need a true PF on the team. Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Jul 29, 2021 | 10:18 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-draft/2021/7/29/22601269/utah-jazz-trade-30-pick-to-memphis-grizzlies-for-pick-40-and-2-future-2nds#543060240)



guess not if COTY won't play them anyway

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/07/29/nba-playoff-moves-west-suns/


Mike Conley went down with an injury and missed the majority of the second round of the playoffs. This left the Jazz with only six reliable players – Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Royce O’Neale, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Jordan Clarkson– and it showed. In a Game 1 win, the rest of their players outside of their core six were a -16 in just under 36 minutes. This means, the Jazz were 16 points worse with these players in. In another win in Game 2, -4 in 10 less minutes. After losing the next two in LA, their reliance on their core six showed as the rest of the team played under 20 minutes combined in Game 5 and were a -19. The fatigue of so many minutes clearly set in for the core group when the Jazz blew a 25 point lead in Game 6.



Clarkson is reliable? Ingles hasn't been in the playoffs and Mitchell isn't defensively.


Worryingly, the Jazz had the same problem last year. They were forced to start oft-used Juwan Morgan, who had only played 134 career minutes up to that point, in a PLAYOFF game because Bogdanovic was out.



Morgan is good. Too bad he didn't play this year. They might be champs


Plain and simple, the rest of the bench is just simply not ready to produce in the playoffs. The Jazz employs multiple former second-round picks at the end of their bench who average under ten minutes a game in the regular season and aren’t useful in playoff runs. The Jazz needs to replace a couple of these guys for veterans who can help them win now.



we don't know if they are good enough since COTY didn't put them in the game

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Milwaukee Bucks F Bobby Portis is declining his $3.8M player option and will become a free agent, (https://*********.com/social/) his agent Mark Bartelstein of @Priority Sports tells ESPN.

– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)




Bobby Marks: Portis has non-bird rights in Milwaukee The most Milwaukee can offer is: 1. $4.3M (non-bird rights- 120% off his 2020-21 $) 2. $5.9M tax ML (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BobbyMarks42 (https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42)




Zanik like him or just the Wizard? Might not matter because of COTY

[El Kabong]

Not giving the QO to Juwan Morgan. Trying to save a bit more $ from the sounds of it.

[Xiao Yao You]

Not giving the QO to Juwan Morgan. Trying to save a bit more $ from the sounds of it.


COTY won't play him anyway. Might as well let him go. He's good

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Jared Butler said he won’t go into detail about his heart condition or his knees when asked about the fit-to-play process pre-draft (https://*********.com/social/). #TakeNote ⁦@kslsports
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)




Ben Anderson: Jared Butler said whether or not he’ll play in summer league for the @Utah Jazz is still in flux (https://*********.com/social/). #TakeNote ⁦@kslsports
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)




(https://*********.com/storyline/summer-league-rosters/)

Eric Walden: Jared Butler said he knew the Jazz had interest, but they told him they didn’t believe he’d last until No. 30. “It was a rough night for me. But when the Jazz called, I was extremely thankful.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)






Eric Walden: Jared Butler, on what he likes about the Jazz: “I like how they shoot a lot of 3s.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)






Eric Walden: Jared Butler said his goal as a rookie is “I don’t want to be a liability. … I want you to think I’ve been playing six or seven years.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: The Utah Jazz are not expected to extend a qualifying offer to Juwan Morgan, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell The Athletic. The two sides have not closed the door on an eventual return. Morgan is expected to have interest on the market (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: The Utah Jazz have extended qualifying offers to forward Jarrell Brantley and point guard Trent Forrest, (https://*********.com/social/) League Sources tell The Athletic. The moves make both players restricted free agents

– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)



interesting that they let Morgan become unrestricted and not Brantley. Morgan seemed to be a COTY guy his first year while Brantley never has

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50215584/after-a-roller-coaster-draft-night-jared-butler-thinks-utah-is-exactly-where-he-should-be-


Butler said an emotional Jazz coach Quin Snyder was the first one to call him after the selection.



COTY likes someone other than the 10 guys he played last year?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464913/report-mike-conley-expected-to-re-sign-with-utah-jazz-on-three-year-deal/

60 or 75? Big difference!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/464895/instant-replay-donovan-mitchell-destroys-shot-attempt-by-camper-with-massive-block/

play some D on an adult please

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/follow-the-benjamins-money-tracker/


Utah: The Jazz are $13M or so under the tax without even accounting for Conley, so it will likely be just the TMLE for them. (They also have TPEs, the largest of which they just created in the Derrick Favors deal. But it’s unlikely they use them since the whole point there was to avoid a massive tax bill.)



We actually don't know the point there. Hopefully it was because Favors sucked and they hope to improve the team and COTY proof it


The only other thing to watch is whether any of the full MLE teams offer Conley enough of an upgrade in competitiveness that he’d take a huge discount. I don’t see it. Philly could waive Hill and replace him with Conley to improve their chances, but they currently have bigger fish to fry with the Ben Simmons question looming. Denver is the only other MLE team that finished anywhere near Utah’s record, and they have Jamal Murray (eventually) returning from injury. Atlanta made the Conference Finals, perhaps ahead of schedule, but they have Trae Young so they likely won’t be looking for a starting-caliber PG with their MLE. Boston is at least a fringe contender who needs a point guard, but is a $9.6M offer from the .500 Celtics really better from something in the $25M range from No. 1 Utah?



He could decide he wants to be elsewhere and force a sign and trade

[Xiao Yao You]

A look at the roster pre FA

Gobert/Udoka

O'Neale

Bojan/Oni(Non guarantee)

Mitchell/Clarkson/Hughes/Thomas(2021 non-guaranteed, fully guaranteed on 08/03/2021), MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Conley, Niang, Ersan, Morgan

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

8 guaranteed contracts, 8 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

[El Kabong]

Matt Thomas gone.

[Xiao Yao You]

Matt Thomas gone.

Guess Zanik not as high on him as the Wizard. Another trade that doesn't look so good

[Xiao Yao You]

A look at the roster pre FA

Gobert/Udoka

O'Neale

Bojan/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Conley, Niang, Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

7 guaranteed contracts, 9 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

[Xiao Yao You]

Mitch Lawrence: Besides trying to trade Ben Simmons, the Sixers are shopping Tobias Harris. The Rockets are one of the teams that turned down Harris, per sources (https://*********.com/social/).

– via Twitter Mitch_Lawrence (https://twitter.com/Mitch_Lawrence)




Clarkson and Favors would have been close

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony East: The Pacers just announced their summer league roster: Goga Bitadze, Bennie Boatwright, Jordan Bone, Amida Brimah, Oshae Brissett, Chris Duarte, Terry Henderson, BJ Johnson, Devin Robinson, Cassius Stanley, Keifer Sykes, Terry Taylor, Tyrone Wallace, Duane Washington Jr (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter TEastNBA (https://twitter.com/TEastNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: The Philadelphia 76ers have issued a qualifying offer to Rayjon Tucker, (https://*********.com/social/) making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @spotrac.
– via Twitter KeithSmithNBA (https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50216018/jazz-free-agency-primer-utah-has-an-owner-willing-to-spend-but-what-exactly-are-the-options


Here's the dream scenario:

Re-sign Mike Conley

Find a rotation player with the taxpayer midlevel exception ($5.9 million)
Find enough players that will sign for minimum deals to fill out the rest of the roster.



get rid of Clarkson. Use trade exceptions and put the best team around Gobert regardless of cost


If Conley does choose to leave, the Jazz will only really have the mid-level exception to replace him, and that wouldn't yield a point guard close to Conley's ability. A perk of shedding Derrick Favors' contract (https://www.ksl.com/article/50214913/utah-jazz-trade-derrick-favors-to-thunder-in-cost-cutting-move)(besides just saving Smith some money — around $40 million, mind you), is the team may have the non-taxpayers exception ($9.5 million), but that still probably wouldn't be enough to land a true starter, let alone an All-Star.



can get a starter for that. More than O'Neale makes


Would Milwaukee's Bobby Portis, fresh off a championship run with the Bucks, be willing to come to Utah for the taxpayer midlevel? What about Nic Batum, who revitalized his career with the Clippers? Would it be worth it for the Jazz to use the exception to bring back Georges Niang?



don't need to use it on Niang. Can sign him anyway


Utah overpaid for Favors last offseason; eight months later, it used a first-round pick to get out of his deal. The Jazz also waived Matt Thomas (https://www.ksl.com/article/50216003/utah-jazz-waive-shooting-guard-matt-thomas) just a few months after using a second-round pick to get him from Toronto. Those are the types of moves the Jazz don't want to replicate: Ones that end in negative value.



good luck


After the second-round flame out, it's been hard for some fans to remember how the Jazz were among the best in the league this season. But the Jazz are close. A couple moves could very well move the Jazz from among the best to the best.



a couple moves that it doesn't sound like are happening. New coach and new 6th man

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50216003/utah-jazz-waive-shooting-guard-matt-thomas


Thomas, who had shot 45.7% from 3-point territory over the course of three seasons with the Toronto Raptors, appeared in 19 games for the Jazz and shot just 25.6% (10 for 39) from deep. Without his shooting, he was simply unplayable.



well who knows what he would have done if he'd played with rotation players and not in garbage time. Amazing what playing with the best players does for soemone


It's yet another sign that last year's additions to the team were mostly a bust. The Jazz spent a second round pick for a half-season of Thomas, drafted a center that wasn't expected to play, and the Jazz just used a future first-round pick (https://www.ksl.com/article/50214913/utah-jazz-trade-derrick-favors-to-thunder-in-cost-cutting-move) in order to get out of Derrick Favors' $9.7 million salary after he signed a new deal with the Jazz in November.



Favors was a bust as expected. Hard to say that about guys who didn't get a chance because of the coach

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/1/22602446/utah-jazz-mailbag-free-agency-and-offseason-questions-answered-mle-tmle-luxury-tax-derrick-favors


By trading Favors, he gets his full salary paid to him and the Jazz aren’t the ones footing the bill.



they foot the bill in a 1st rounder



Hey Sarah. I think the Jazz played the draft brilliantly. They got an amazing talent in Jared Butler. My question is this. They traded down to 40 and still got him, did they somehow have solid Intel that no one was going to grab him before then or were they just lucky?

— DavidHughes (@davidhughes1113) August 1, 2021 (https://twitter.com/davidhughes1113/status/1421908189767880708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)


I'd say they thought it was worth the risk and that they liked some other guys enough to risk losing him for the extra picks which they need with all of the ones they've been giving up the past couple years


The Jazz are looking for positional versatility. So I feel like they’ll try to find someone that can play a stretch or small ball five. That will likely be the main plan for backup center minutes.



Need a starting 4 that could play the small ball 5 role and a veteran traditional big ideally

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/1/22603642/film-breakdown-jared-butler-deep-dive


Butler’s shooting form off the catch is pure, smooth, and consistent. He has a textbook release and a strong base.



looks like they might have to tweak his release like they did with Ingles. It starts low


The Utah Jazz love the pick & roll. Every guard and most of the wings on the team are frequently asked to create from it. Fortunately, Jared Butler knows how to do just that. He is a versatile scorer in the pick & roll. As we’ve seen, defenses have to go over the screen or hedge hard not to allow Butler to pull up. He can also get to the paint or his floater. Butler is incredibly patient and poised, and he keeps his eyes up with a live dribble looking for driving or passing lanes. He’s creative in the lane. He can manipulate the defense with his eyes to get himself or his teammates open.



looks like he could be another option besides Mike and Joe in the pick and roll which would be nice


Jared Butler is a capable finisher at the rim. He shows his basketball IQ with his crafty finishes around rim protectors. He’s patient, smart, and skillful in the way he gets to the basket. He can avoid contact with acrobatic layups or create space with the threat of his passing ability. He uses cuts, pump-fakes, pass-fakes, and a myriad of dribble moves to get into the lane. He can finish with either hand on either side of the basket.



he's not Rubio or Exum!


It’s hard to predict whether Butler will get a rotation spot with the Jazz this year. He’s certainly one of the most NBA-ready rookies in this year’s class, but he is still a rookie. The Jazz have a loaded backcourt of Donovan Mitchell, Jordan Clarkson, and (hopefully) Mike Conley, so minutes at the guard position will be hard to come by. If there are injuries, Butler will definitely see the court.



Clarkson is hardly loaded. This guys is already better. Looks like a great fit. How his lack of length affects him and his injuries are the big questions


If he can fight his way into the rotation, Butler will likely play as a secondary creator, a spot-up shooter, and a primary defender. If he can do those three things at a high level, it will be hard for Quin Snyder to keep him off the court.



won't be hard for COTY to keep anyone off the court. He didn't go to Duke so he has his work cut out for him


We now know that Q didn’t think that our bench were not NBA caliber players. And therefore, I would imagine he had no interested in developing them since there has been friction between him and DL. Hopefully moving forward things may be different. I am super excited we have Butler. Possibly our best pure draft pick since AK47 (DM and Gobert were not our draft picks) Posted by statpower (https://www.sbnation.com/users/statpower) on Aug 1, 2021 | 1:01 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/1/22603642/film-breakdown-jared-butler-deep-dive#543169679)

they were the Jazz draft picks after they were traded to them. Sounds like COTY refused to play guys and sabotaged them the past two seasons just to get Lindsey fired.. Unreal!


Joe can be a true wing

We'll see. Ingles should have the ball until this guy proves otherwise. Forrest looked good too if he could only shoot


Means Jazz have two positions that need to be filled.
The best Stretch 4, small ball Center they can get for the TMLE
Anyone have any Ideas?


Posted by AdMan59 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/AdMan59) on Aug 1, 2021 | 5:14 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/1/22603642/film-breakdown-jared-butler-deep-dive#543179672)




Starting 4/small ball 5/traditional 5/backup 4/deep bench depth everywhere


YES. SO YES. I’d love if they managed to sign Theis as backup C/PF. I’ve always really liked the dude.

Posted by ikerex88 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ikerex88) on Aug 1, 2021 | 10:57 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/1/22603642/film-breakdown-jared-butler-deep-dive#543187124)



yep like him too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/01/utah-jazz-stacked-backcourt-nba-best/


Now, by adding Baylor national champ Jared Butler via a slick steal (https://thejnotes.com/2021/07/30/utah-jazz-draft-score-franchise-lore/) at Thursday’s NBA Draft, Utah ought to have two promising young guards at its disposal. The other is a projected second-year Jazz reserve in Trent Forrest, who often looked like a fast learner while filling in when Mitchell and Conley sat out the homestretch of the regular season.



Forrest has his work cut out for him to get a contract after this pick. Too bad Forrest can't play yet or we could see them go head to head in summer league

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/08/01/nba-predicting-top-free-agents-lowry/8/

Conley behind Derozan and Ball :roll:


Mike Conley may have been injured for the Utah Jazz in the NBA playoffs, but I believe that this is still a player that could have an impact on a really good team. Conley is far removed from his prime, and his best years of basketball are likely behind him. Still, he proved to be a valuable player for a team that finished with the best record in the regular season.



coming off arguably his best season :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

As is the case with Paul, front-office sources widely believe Mike Conley will stay put in Utah. (https://theathletic.com/2746050/2021/08/02/nba-free-agency-preview-lakers-and-clippers-options-latest-on-kawhi-leonard-and-chris-paul-and-more/?source=rss) And if that’s the case, as so many expect, then the Jazz have ample reason to celebrate.
– via Sam Amick @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746050/2021/08/02/nba-free-agency-preview-lakers-and-clippers-options-latest-on-kawhi-leonard-and-chris-paul-and-more/?source=rss)

[Xiao Yao You]

He has so much to work on offensively to start pulling his weight as a max player, but as a defender, it’s hard to find a weakness in him. “I know Gobert is Gobert and he blocks a lot of shots and does everything, but Simmons is so disruptive,” one coach told us as he explained his Defensive Player of the Year vote. “You can’t go wrong with either guy, but the versatility with Simmons is what put him over the top for me.” (https://theathletic.com/2745318/2021/08/02/anonymous-nba-coaches-poll-2020-21-best-defenders/?source=emp_shared_article)
– via Jon Krawczynski, Josh Robbins, Jon Krawczynski and Josh Robbins @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2745318/2021/08/02/anonymous-nba-coaches-poll-2020-21-best-defenders/?source=emp_shared_article)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tyler Lydon considers this Boeheim’s Army run his final salute as a basketball player. The former Syracuse basketball forward, the former No. 24 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, is nursing a sore right hip and a sore left knee. (https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2021/08/tyler-lydon-says-this-stint-with-boeheims-army-will-end-basketball-playing-career.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=syracuse_sf) He needs surgery to repair both physical issues. “I’m supposed to have a surgery on my hip. I have a torn labrum and my bones are rubbing,” he said Sunday after Boeheim’s Army had escaped the Dayton Arena with another Elam Ending victory. “And then my left knee I have another torn meniscus and I have no cartilage in there. So, I’ve gotta get another surgery on that, too.”
– via Donna Ditota @ The Post-Standard (https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2021/08/tyler-lydon-says-this-stint-with-boeheims-army-will-end-basketball-playing-career.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=syracuse_sf)




He re-tore the meniscus two months ago and received a cortisone injection to dull the pain so he could play in The Basketball Tournament. Sometimes, he feels the soreness, other times it’s manageable. The hip doesn’t seem to be as problematic these days. “It is what it is. Just fighting through it. This is my last time lacing ’em up so I just figured I’d come out there and have fun,” he said. “My body’s taken a toll. I’ve already had knee surgery and I need two more surgeries. It’s enough for me.” (https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2021/08/tyler-lydon-says-this-stint-with-boeheims-army-will-end-basketball-playing-career.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=syracuse_sf)
– via Donna Ditota @ The Post-Standard (https://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/2021/08/tyler-lydon-says-this-stint-with-boeheims-army-will-end-basketball-playing-career.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=syracuse_sf)

[Xiao Yao You]

Going back to Neto possibly getting a raise from the $1.8 million he made last year in Washington. After setting career-highs across the board, including in scoring and efficiency, Neto is going to get a good deal of interest. According to sources around the league, the Knicks kept coming up as likely suitors (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/2021-nba-free-agency-point-guard-tops-list-wizards).
– via Chase Hughes @ NBC Sports (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/2021-nba-free-agency-point-guard-tops-list-wizards)

[Xiao Yao You]

Jason Quick: Blazers announce staff of coach Chauncey Billups: Scott Brooks, Roy Rogers, Steve Hetzel, Ednisha Curry and Milt Palacio. Parker Hines will be video coordinator (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter jwquick (https://twitter.com/jwquick)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://twitter.com/kslsports/status/1422234840217231364/photo/1

The A team with Udoka, Brantley, Forrest, Hughes, Morgan, and Stars White and Castlin

B team might suck!

[Xiao Yao You]

Otto Porter Jr. and Rudy Gay are two players the Jazz hold interest in. But those names also come with caveats. Gay is thought to be leaning toward the Los Angeles Lakers (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article).

– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic


(https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article) Otto Porter is thought to be leaning to the Brooklyn Nets. (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article) In free agency, anything can happen.
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article)

[Xiao Yao You]

So, there are open roster spots. And, of course, the Jazz traded Derrick Favors to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Favors will meet with Thunder brass on Tuesday, according to league sources. The result of that meeting will probably determine whether OKC plans to keep Favors on its roster for the upcoming season, or if the two sides will pursue another trade for Favors (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article).

– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article)





The Jazz did not extend a qualifying offer to forward Juwan Morgan, although sources say the Jazz are keeping an open door on Morgan’s return (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article).
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article)




why bring someone back that the coach won't play? Maybe he will play him now that he got Lindsey fired at the cost of two straight playoff losses?

[Xiao Yao You]

As for those who were in the rotation last season, league sources indicate that it’s highly unlikely that Georges Niang will return to the team. Niang, who was a valuable role player off the bench for Utah last season, will be an unrestricted free agent. He is expected to garner significant interest on the market, according to sources (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article).

– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article)




League sources indicate the Jazz, who will be deep into the luxury tax this coming season, have a willingness to use their taxpayer’s midlevel exception. (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article) That willingness comes with a caveat. They won’t use it for the sake of using it. That means that they want to use it on a player who they have identified as a primary target.

– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746076/2021/08/02/jazz-free-agency-primer-retaining-mike-conley-finding-frontcourt-depth-developing-younger-players-and-more/?source=user_shared_article)




assumed he wouldn't be back. Hopefully they'll get someone who can shoot and defend since he was one of the few that did actually defend

[Xiao Yao You]

latest update after Conley signing

Gobert/Udoka

O'Neale

Bojan/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Niang, Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

9 guaranteed contracts, 8 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

[El Kabong]

TJ saying Niang is likely gone, which isn't a total surprise given he won't be signing for the minimum anymore. Wouldn't hate to see them bring Ersan back though.

[Xiao Yao You]

TJ saying Niang is likely gone, which isn't a total surprise given he won't be signing for the minimum anymore. Wouldn't hate to see them bring Ersan back though.

I was saying during the season that Niang was going to be gone. He's earned a payday and with the tax he'd too expensive now. Even if he had showed up in the playoffs I think he would have been. Hopefully they can get someone else that can shoot and defend.

Would love to have Ersan back but if the coach won't play him how much sense does it make?

[Xiao Yao You]

If Jazz forward Joe Ingles is indeed available for trade, sources say the Warriors do have interest — just no good way to get him. (https://theathletic.com/2746229/2021/08/03/warriors-nba-free-agency-patty-mills/?source=rss) Ingles, approaching 34, fits the Warriors’ need for a veteran and another offensive playmaker. His passing would fit perfectly with the Warriors. He can run point forward and spot up off the ball, making him viable with the starters and the second unit. He’s got 45 playoff games under his belt. He shot a career-best 45.1 percent from 3 on a career-high 6.1 attempts per game — his third season at 44 percent or above. He’s also reputed for being a great guy and would add to the culture of the locker room.

– via Marcus Thompson II @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746229/2021/08/03/warriors-nba-free-agency-patty-mills/?source=rss)

The most viable option to get Ingles is to see where Oubre Jr. signs and try to convert it into a sign-and-trade. (https://theathletic.com/2746229/2021/08/03/warriors-nba-free-agency-patty-mills/?source=rss) In that scenario, the Warriors would get a traded player exception in exchange for Oubre and they could use that exception to get Ingles, if he is available. But that’s adding $13 million (plus the repeater tax) to what is already the league’s highest payroll. Ingles is good, but is he good enough for Lacob to stomach the added cost? The Warriors could keep the TPE for potential use later, but the same question would come up.
– via Marcus Thompson II @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2746229/2021/08/03/warriors-nba-free-agency-patty-mills/?source=rss)




trade him to the east at least. Not sure I want Oubre

[Xiao Yao You]

Marc Stein: The Timberwolves officially announce the completion of their trade of Ricky Rubio to CLEVELAND for Taurean Prince, (https://*********.com/social/) cash and a 2022 second-round pick.
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: Team USA will play Australia in the Olympics Semifinals. (https://*********.com/social/) Thursday 8/5 at 12:15 AM ET. Gonna be another late night!
– via Twitter KeithSmithNBA (https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Luis Scola got an extended standing ovation from everyone in the Olympic Arena including Joe Ingles and the Australian National Team (https://*********.com/social/) as the 2004 gold medalist will likely see his international career come to an end.

– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Always liked him. Quite a run!

[Xiao Yao You]

Gary Washburn: Gobert finishes with a 360 dunk. Don’t know if I’ve ever seen him do that in the NBA. FRA 84, ITA 75 Final. (https://*********.com/social/) Faces Slovenia on Thursday. #Tokyo2020

– via Twitter GwashburnGlobe (https://twitter.com/GwashburnGlobe)





Joe Vardon: In only the latest head-slapping IOC moment, Ricky Rubio, after dropping 38 on Team USA, couldn’t do the postgame press conference because he had to take a drug test (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter joevardon (https://twitter.com/joevardon)







Keith Pompey: The #Sixers plan to waive point guard George Hill, (https://*********.com/social/) a league source confirms.
– via Twitter PompeyOnSixers (https://twitter.com/PompeyOnSixers)



the dunk was a nice exclamation point

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50216636/jazz-agree-to-terms-with-mike-conley-on-new-3-year-contract


With fellow All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert's new extensions kicking in this season, the Jazz were already over the salary cap before negotiations ever began Monday. The Jazz can go over the cap to retain their own free agents (though that comes with a hefty luxury tax cost), but can only use two exceptions — the taxpayer mid-level exception (about $5.9 million) and the minimum salary exception — to sign new players



trade exceptions!


If the Jazz had lost Conley, they couldn't have even pursued Kyle Lowry, Chris Paul or any of the other top free agent guards to replace him. With the options available to the team, Conley's production would have been downright impossible to replace, so Monday's news was a win for the franchise. It might not be someone new, but it's a signing that should help keep the Jazz's championship window open.



he was a a bargain considering how much those guys got

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465051/exum-ingles-shine-in-olympic-quarterfinal-for-australia/

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465047/rudy-gobert-leads-france-to-olympic-semifinals-in-win-over-italy/

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465010/azubuike-brantley-hughes-looking-to-show-improvement-at-summer-league/


Azubuike was the team’s first-round draft pick last season but was saddled on the bench behind superstar Rudy Gobert and veteran Derrick Favors. Favors was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder to lower the Jazz luxury tax bill, leaving an open spot behind Gobert in the Jazz rotation.



behind Morgan and Ersan as well and maybe Brantley


Both Brantley and Hughes could see themselves competing for an open roster spot if free-agent forward Georges Niang signs elsewhere. Niang is a knockdown shooter and is expected to receive significant interest from opposing teams which could price the Jazz out of the forward’s services.



Hughes has a guaranteed contract

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/3/22605912/olympics-roundup-damian-lillard-usa-basketball-beat-spain-in-quarterfinals-despite-ricky-rubio-38

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/3/22607716/reports-rudy-gay-signing-with-utah-jazz


On Tuesday morning, those fans got their wish, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Jazz and Gay have agreed to a two-year deal, with a player option on the second year.



I assume he got the big exception though they might be able to do a sign and trade with a trade exception? Former Conley teammate. Hopefully works out better than Green. A starting 4! Bojan to the bench? Trade Clarkson?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/2/22605097/what-does-mike-conley-re-signing-mean-for-the-utah-jazz-nba-free-agency-donovan-mitchell


This all comes with the caveat and understanding that Conley’s recent hamstring issues are not to be ignored. There is real concern there, especially with Conley being nearer to the end of his playing career. But with the right conditioning and management throughout the season, the Jazz should be able to deliver Conley to the playoffs healthy.



maybe but who cares if he can't play during the playoffs

[Xiao Yao You]

update after Gay signing

Gobert/Udoka

Gay/O'Neale(He should still start at the 3 if they have a clue)

Bojan(Should be headed to the bench)/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson(Should be headed out of town)/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Niang, Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

10 guaranteed contracts, 7 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/2/22605907/report-mike-conley-resigning-with-utah-jazz-on-3-year-deal


A hamstring injury sidelined Conley during the Jazz’s second-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers, however. It was widely thought that the Jazz would have had a better chance to move on in the playoffs had Conley been available to play.



you think?


Now that Conley’s future with the team is secured, the Jazz can use the rest of free agency to figure out how to fill out the rest of the roster, possibly with a small-ball center and rangy wing defenders.

starting 4 is taken care of. I'd say a small ball center and a traditional center ideally. Maybe a backup to Gay. O'Neale concentrates on the wing where he belongs instead of rebounding

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/a-breakdown-of-10-possible-free-agents-for-the-jazz/


Analysis: Bringing Brantley back next season is an absolute no brainer. He isn’t elite at anything yet, but he’s shown flashes of being really good at a lot of things and he shot 43% from three last season in limited attempts. He’s one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA and he’s good at it. He spent at least 17% of his defensive possessions last season guarding every position except for point guard. On top of all of that, with his uncertain NBA future, I think that Brantley would be willing to sign a year at, or close to the minimum, if not for multiple years. He’s the perfect guy to bet on cracking the rotation eventually at low cost to the team. I think he’s going to have a long career in the NBA.



How is it a no brainer? He did everything you could ask as a rookie making first team all Gleague on one of the two best teams in the league. Got him another two way contract instead of a guarantee that they gave to Hughes who doesn't impress me at all. The coach refused to play him no matter how much other guys sucked though the few times he did get quality minutes he showed he could play all while improving his biggest weakness shooting


Analysis: Rudy Gay provides 90% of everything that Nic Batum would provide, but instead of a connection with Rudy Gobert, he has one with Mike Conley from their days with Memphis over 5 seasons. Gay is a good 3 point shooter, with ability to also shoot in the midrange. He’s also an underrated defender who spent 40% and 15% of his defensive possessions last season guarding power forwards and centers, respectively. But he’s destined to end up in LA.

small ball center I guess!


9. Robin Lopez

like him


Analysis: Niang is a great guy, who is beloved by both teammates and Jazz fans alike. He’s a great spot up shooter, although he offers very little else offensively. He has maximized his defensive ability, but lacks versatility there that the Jazz need. I would think his return to the Jazz would be likely, except I think his new agent will seek a payday for him, and the Jazz probably don’t want to pay more than close to the minimum for Niang’s services.

actually very skilled offensively as he showed with the Stars. Probably their best post player. Can run pick and roll.

think Frank is the only other one left from the list?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/2/22606642/mike-conley-signs-3-year-deal-worth-between-68-and-72-5-million-with-the-utah-jazz-free-agency


Perhaps the number from Woj is accounting for incentives? Regardless of the difference in numbers, this is around the number Jazz fans had been expecting from multiple reports leading up to today.



that's what I was thinking


It’s a nice deal for the Jazz who could have seen Conley get a big market with teams like the Dallas Mavericks (https://www.mavsmoneyball.com) looking to get a quality guard to play next to Luka Doncic. That was also the reason this number rose to what it is.



I'd say he took a discount considering what Paul and Lowrt got

[Xiao Yao You]

Gay


Wow! Two-year, $12.1M deal, with a player option. I guess that’s the MLE.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 3, 2021 | 9:51 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/2/22606642/mike-conley-signs-3-year-deal-worth-between-68-and-72-5-million-with-the-utah-jazz-free-agency#543248090)


That seems like a lot for Gay.
He isn’t very good. I’d take him with a minimum deal, but now our MLE is gone. And why a player option? That should be a team option in year 2.
Ugh.
No more tools for significant moves without trading away key players.
Still hoping for Cousins and Exum on minimums. . .

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 3, 2021 | 9:54 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/2/22606642/mike-conley-signs-3-year-deal-worth-between-68-and-72-5-million-with-the-utah-jazz-free-agency#543248231)



trade exceptions. Clarkson/Hughes is what I'd be looking to move

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/worst-nba-free-agency-contracts-paul-conley-robinson-mcdermott-fournier-01fc5bet624q?utm_source=RSS


Again, I get the sentimental connection but overpaying for aging, oft-injured guards is never a good idea. The Utah Jazz (https://www.thebiglead.com/nba/team/utah-jazz) fell into that trap just like the Suns did. When he's on the floor, Mike Conley (https://www.thebiglead.com/nba/player/mike-conley) is a big part of what Utah does and is a solid floor general. But he hasn't played more than 70 games in seven seasons.



looks like an underpay. Coming off one of his best years. The injuries are concerning but they really had no choice


When healthy, Conley was a solid starter last season for the Jazz. He averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds while playing 29.4 minutes per game. But he also missed 21 regular season games and was absent for most of Utah's playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers (https://www.thebiglead.com/nba/team/los-angeles-clippers).



solid all star! :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/03/utah-jazz-rudy-gay-agreed-deal-jazz/


Gay, a 15-year NBA veteran, fills a vital need for the Jazz as a backup 4 and potential small ball 5. Last season, Gay contributed an impressive 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.2 steals per 36 minutes for the San Antonio Spurs.



should start


With Favors having been recently jettisoned to the Thunder in what was effectively a salary dump, Head Coach Quin Snyder may look to deploy some small ball lineups with Gay at the 5 in a similar fashion as the Clippers this season. At 6’8 and 250 pounds, the man otherwise known as “Big Truck” certainly fits the bill, and his career 35% mark from three-point range will stretch defenses in five-out lineups.



remains to be seen if Favors was a salary dump or clearing a roster space for someone that doesn't suck

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/02/utah-jazz-3-trades-consolidate-depth-add-star-power/


DeMar DeRozan

yeah a mid range shooter is what they need! :facepalm


He does not come without downside risk. As remarkably efficient as he can score the ball, he provides little else: his assist percentage of 6.5 from last season was both low and entirely on-brand. His Defensive Box Plus Minus (DBPM) of -2.5 last season also leaves much to be desired. T.J. Warren is a bucket, full stop, end of sentence.



sounds like a downgrade


Like Warren, Sexton is a fairly one-dimensional player. His 4.4 assists per game were fairly solid; however, with a staggering 29.7 Usage Percentage (USG%), they do reflect a player with a somewhat unhealthy distrust of his teammates. Furthermore, his defensive rating of 118 does not inspire confidence.



similar numbers to the best player in Jazz history. If they can trade him for that guy I'm in!


In today’s NBA, the name of the game is offense. The Jazz ran an exceptional attack during the 2020-21 regular season, but a combination of Mike Conley Jr.’s right hamstring and Jordan Clarkson’s waning efficiency left Donovan Mitchell wanting for help come playoff time. The Jazz should consider one of these three trades to increase the likelihood that he’s playing alongside another shot creator by this season’s playoffs.



offense isn't the Jazz problem especially if Conley has the ball

[Xiao Yao You]

https://bustingbrackets.com/2021/08/02/nba-draft-2021-6-selections-second-round-potential/


Butler is also a very good defender. He’s disciplined, moves his feet well, and his sturdy build allows him to wall off defenders. Clarkson and Conley aren’t great defenders at this stage, so Butler can add to that group on the defensive end. Clarkson and Mitchell are under contract for a few years and Conley could potentially sign with Utah, but I can easily see Butler playing his way into the rotation.



Conley is one of their few guys that does defend. Would have made life tougher on Reggie Jackson

[Xiao Yao You]

https://spacecityscoop.com/posts/houston-rockets-5-best-basketball-fits-john-wall-trade#slideshow-top-bar-_7bv4ospxr

Already had Rubio. No thanks!


A massively understated reason for their early playoff exit was the health of Mike Conley. Conley, by multiple advanced metrics, was the Utah Jazz’s second-best player behind Rudy Gobert. Most people in the general public would argue that Donovan Mitchell was their best player, but while he is definitely their best scorer the rest of his game lags behind.



someone gets it

[Xiao Yao You]

Nemanja Bjelica has agreed to a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors.



right after Gay so he may have been waiting on Jazz and Gay

[Xiao Yao You]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/263670/Rudy-Gay-Agrees-To-Sign-Two-Year-$121M-Deal-With-Jazz

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: I expect the Jazz to look into the backup center market for a signing. If they do indeed bring one in, I would expect that to be a veteran minimum…. (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Rudy Gay has more followers (1.2 million) on Twitter than Donovan Mitchell, (https://*********.com/social/) which doesn’t matter at all but still surprises me
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Pompey: I’m hearing Georges Niang could be a solid backup power forward option for the #Sixers in free agency (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter PompeyOnSixers (https://twitter.com/PompeyOnSixers)

[El Kabong]

Tony Jones: I expect the Jazz to look into the backup center market for a signing. If they do indeed bring one in, I would expect that to be a veteran minimum…. (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)
Looks like it's Hassan Whiteside

[Xiao Yao You]

Looks like it's Hassan Whiteside

surprising they'd go with a headcase. He can be good

[Xiao Yao You]

Tom Orsborn: Rudy Gay posted his farewell to S.A. on Instagram: “Man, what a ride. Shout out to my Spurs family and to the city of San Antonio. (https://*********.com/social/) The past years have been an unforgettable journey & I enjoyed every moment. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of it. Excited for what’s next!”
– via Twitter tom_orsborn (https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn)

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent C Hassan Whiteside has agreed to a deal with the Utah Jazz, (https://*********.com/social/) @excelbasketball agent Sean Kennedy tells ESPN.
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Georges Niang has agreed to a two year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, (https://*********.com/social/) league sources tell The Athletic

– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)


Marc Stein: Georges Niang is signing a two-year, $6.7 million deal with Philadelphia, (https://*********.com/social/) according to his agents Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of @Priority Sports
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)





Kyle Neubeck: Georges Niang, I’m told, was signed using part of the non taxpayer mid level (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter KyleNeubeck (https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck)



good for Georges!

[Xiao Yao You]

update after Whiteside and Niang signings

Gobert/Whiteside/Udoka

Gay/O'Neale(He should still start at the 3 if they have a clue)

Bojan(Should be headed to the bench)/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson(Should be headed out of town)/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

11 guaranteed contracts, 6 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

[Xiao Yao You]

Udoka played well in the game. Probably has better hands than Rudy already. Showed he can be a lob threat and a presence. Forrest made it easy for him. He was great. 2 -3 from 3. If he can hit that at all he's a rotation player. Hughes still doesn't do anything for me. He did take a couple charges and had some rebounds. Brantley does a lot. Didn't shoot well. Needs to take better care of the ball and not be so unselfish offensively. Morgan is always solid. The numbers don't look good but he is. Would be fine with him or Brantley(or Ersan) getting Niang's minutes with Gay starting.

[Xiao Yao You]

Rayjon Tucker is back under contract with the Sixers on a new two-way deal, (https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/08/sixers-re-sign-rayjon-tucker-to-two-way-deal.html) according to NBA.com’s official transactions log.
– via Hoops Rumors (https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/08/sixers-re-sign-rayjon-tucker-to-two-way-deal.html)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50217504/after-being-thrown-into-nba-action-last-season-trent-forrest-makes-it-look-easy-in-summer-league-


Forrest was in such control that if the second-year guard was a former lottery pick, it wouldn't really be a surprise to see the Jazz shut him down after a couple games. While everyone around him seemed to be sped up, Forrest was in cruise control, orchestrating pick-and-rolls to perfection and getting into the lane at will.



Can't imagine they will be shutting him down. He's playing for his NBA life at the moment


True NBA talent is supposed to dominate these summer showcases. It's supposed to be, for a lack of a better word, easy for them. So while it's only one performance, it could be a good indicator that Forrest might have what it takes to stick around in the league.



He already showed that during the season. His shot is the only question mark and he still looks hesitant out there

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50217450/report-jazz-to-sign-center-hassan-whiteside


That left him waiting for a new chance this offseason — and Utah had an opening. After trading Derrick Favors to clean up the cap sheet, the Jazz were in need of a reliable backup center. The team's 2020 first-round pick didn't play a meaningful minute in his rookie season and is coming off a severe ankle sprain.



Whiteside isn't reliable


Azubuike said after his first game of the SLC Summer League on Tuesday that it felt like it's been a full two years since he's played regular five-on-five basketball. That doesn't sound like someone ready to be a full-time rotation player in the NBA.



Maybe Udoka can help them by the end of the year

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50217119/jazz-reportedly-agree-to-2-year-deal-with-forward-rudy-gay-


Gay checks off a lot of boxes Utah was looking for in a new player. He can defend multiple positions and should give the Jazz an entirely different look defensively if they deploy him as a small-ball center — something they haven't really had in the Rudy Gobert era.



they've had. Haven't had a coach to do it and still don't


Gay, 34, will lilkely slot in primarily as a stretch four but can play as many as three frontcourt positions, depending on matchups, which helps the team gain some positional versatility. The lack of versatility was partly responsible for Utah losing in the second round in the last postseason.



had nothing to do with it. Conley being hurt and a coach that refused to change anything were


The move helped mark the end of Georges Niang's tenure with the Jazz. Niang worked his way from a two-way contract to being one of the best spot-up shooters in the league over four seasons with the Jazz. Niang hit over 40% from 3-point range in each of the last three seasons. Niang agreed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.



no reason they couldn't have brought back Niang except for money

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50217400/jazz-free-agent-forward-georges-niang-agrees-to-deal-with-76ers


And with the Jazz agreeing to terms with free agent Rudy Gay (https://www.ksl.com/article/50217119/jazz-reportedly-agree-to-2-year-deal-with-forward-rudy-gay-) earlier Tuesday, Niang's role appears to have been filled.



not really. Gay should start and someone besides O'Neale should back him up. O'Neale only for a different look if they want to go really small

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465134/jazz-azubuike-forrest-shine-in-salt-lake-city-summer-league/


“I’m just a dominant big,” Azubuike said of his enormous size. “Right from college if you watch a clip of me from college, I’m just dominant. That’s what I bring to the table.”



talks like Rudy! :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/3/22608459/what-does-the-rudy-gay-signing-mean-for-the-utah-jazz-analysis-san-antonio-spurs


Signing Gay was the writing on the wall for Georges Niang, who later on Tuesday agreed to a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. The positional versatility from Gay would have pushed Niang out of the rotation and Niang, who became a free agent after the 2020-21 season, was due for a bump in salary.



Clarkson is the one that needs to be pushed out

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/3/22608531/salt-lake-city-summer-league-nba-offseason


Brantley is going to be with the Utah Jazz at minimum one more season. He needs to have a solid outing in SLC Summer league as well as in Las Vegas. His ability to dominate inside is important but the Jazz likely want to see a more consistent outside shot and more consistency on the defensive end.



who says he will be with them? Defense is his forte and he shot great last year


Hughes is one of those players that has a huge variance in what his contributions to the team could be. Because of the shortened G-League season and not getting playing time because the Jazz decided to play Matt Thomas over him, kept him out of games. Matt Thomas is gone and Hughes has a chance to show what he’s got. There have been flashes of an impressive offensive game in Hughes’ short garbage time stints with the Jazz and some fantastic signs from the short G-League showcase last year. Can Hughes show a better ability to defend? If he can, the Jazz might have a nice rotation player on their hands.



looked like a Clarkson wannabe. Nothing impressive about him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://betsided.com/posts/nba-championship-odds-following-nba-free-agency-frenzy?utm_source=RSS


NBA Championship Odds by Team After Free Agency Day One

Brooklyn Nets: +225

Los Angeles Lakers: +375

Milwaukee Bucks: +900
Golden State Warriors: +1000
Phoenix Suns: +1600
Philadelphia 76ers: +1800
Denver Nuggets: +2000

Miami Heat: +2200

Utah Jazz: +2200



from best record to 9th best odds :lol

[El Kabong]

Dok should spent some time in the G-League to start at the least. Fitness wise he's out of shape, so needs as many minutes as he can get to get back into playing shape.

[Xiao Yao You]

Dok should spent some time in the G-League to start at the least. Fitness wise he's out of shape, so needs as many minutes as he can get to get back into playing shape.

yep prove himself with the Stars and maybe be ready later in the year. Certainly has a lot of potential

[Xiao Yao You]

Michael Scotto: The Warriors are acquiring a 2026 second-round pick from the Grizzlies that’s top-42 protected via the Jazz in the Eric Paschall trade, a league source told @*********. Paschall and Jazz star Donovan Mitchell are close friends and are now reunited in Utah (https://*********.com/social/).

– via Twitter MikeAScotto (https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto)



Not sure how much I like this . Not sure he's better than Niang, Ersan, Brantley or Morgan and he's Mitchell's buddy which isn't necessarily a good thing. Might mean Gay and him take the minutes at the 4 and Bojan moves to the bench and O'Neale back to the wing though? Clarkson expendable?

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Haynes: Free agent center Tony Bradley has reached an agreement on a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls, (https://*********.com/social/) league sources tell @YahooSports.

– via Twitter ChrisBHaynes (https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes)



good for Tony

[Xiao Yao You]

update after Paschall trade

Gobert/Whiteside/Udoka

Gay/Paschall

O'Neale/Bojan(Should be headed to the bench)/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson(Should be headed out of town)/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

12 guaranteed contracts, 5 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

[El Kabong]

Don't hate getting Pascall, at least creates a small ball lineup they can go with having added Gay as well. Conley, Mitchell, O'Neale, Gay, Paschall and hope Paschall gets a bit better on defense.

[Xiao Yao You]

Don't hate getting Pascall, at least creates a small ball lineup they can go with having added Gay as well. Conley, Mitchell, O'Neale, Gay, Paschall and hope Paschall gets a bit better on defense.

hope he gets better at shooting too

[Xiao Yao You]

Shams Charania: Free agent guard Raul Neto has agreed to a deal to return to the Washington Wizards, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
– via Twitter ShamsCharania


(https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania) Fred Katz: Wizards loved Raul Neto this year. Expected move with him coming off a career year (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter FredKatz (https://twitter.com/FredKatz)




not sure how you couldn't love him but that was the case here

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50218042/jazz-trade-for-donovan-mitchells-longtime-friend-eric-paschall


While the trade reunited two old friends, the move has much more to do with Paschall's ability on the court than who he hung out with as a kid.




:facepalm


Paschall is a bit of an old-school forward who uses a good mid-range game and his ability to finish around the hoop to score points. He's strong, skilled and plays with loads of energy.




energy good to have coming off the bench

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50217960/what-do-the-rudy-gay-and-hassan-whiteside-signings-mean-for-the-jazz-


Utah's lack of options were exposed in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers. Once Los Angeles figured out something that worked against the Jazz's base defense, Quin Snyder didn't have many ways to counter. Gay should be able to help with that.




Keep selling that shit! COTY had options. He chose to do nothing!


Offensively, he should help Utah's bench, which was often over reliant on Clarkson for shot creation last season.




should start and now with Paschall you have to wonder if he won't despite COTY?


So, even on a minimum deal, is he worth the potential headaches? The Jazz apparently think so, and there's some reasons to believe they're correct.




their other options must not have been so hot

[Xiao Yao You]

Brantley with a much more efficient outing. Still needs to take better care of the ball and be more aggressive. Udoka looked a lot better. Dominating both ends this time around though Forrest makes life easy at the offensive end. He didn't shoot as well which is all that is holding him back. Hughes was better but still doesn't excite me. Morgan solid as always. It's too bad Memphis played their best players against the crappy Jazz team instead of this one though

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465271/brantley-hughes-bounce-back-as-jazz-beat-grizzlies/


The combination guard-forward has a guaranteed contract with the Jazz next season but will be fighting for playing time behind Royce O’Neale, Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson, and the newly acquired Eric Paschall.




hard to believe he'll be fighting for time. If he's on the roster instead of Forrest, Brantley or Morgan it's a joke!


Azubuike is still on his rookie deal but may compete with recently added Hassan Whiteside for backup minutes behind Rudy Gobert. Forrest was on a two-way deal with the Jazz last season but may earn himself a guaranteed contract, even in the Jazz loaded backcourt.




Let's not get ahead of ourselves with Udoka. Forrest is an NBA player for sure. His shot is the only question now. Better than Rubio on the cheap!


At 6’4 with a 6’7 wingspan, Forrest has unique size among Jazz guards and a willingness to defend that could make him a valuable commodity.




not great length. He's valuable because he can play


MaCio Teague who played with rookie Jared Butler at Baylor signed with the Jazz on a camp invite after going undrafted scored 26 points on 9-18 shooting. DJ Funderburk added 12 points and four rebounds and looked worthy of a closer look with the team at the Las Vegas Summer League.




haven't watched those games yet. He's certainly the one to watch since he has the Exhibit 10 deal and will be in Vegas, camp and with the Stars possibly

[Xiao Yao You]

MaCio Teague who played with rookie Jared Butler at Baylor signed with the Jazz on a camp invite after going undrafted scored 26 points on 9-18 shooting. DJ Funderburk added 12 points and four rebounds and looked worthy of a closer look with the team at the Las Vegas Summer League.


But Azubuike can do more than dunk. The center also showed off soft touch around the rim in the first half against the Grizzlies, including a nine-foot hook shot that easily found the bottom of the net.





easily? It bounced around and rolled in :facepalm


With performances like this, it might be hard for the Jazz to keep Azubuike off the floor in the regular season, even with the recent addition of Hassan Whiteside.



Memphis B team summer league is a long ways from backing up Gobert

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465173/jazz-made-changes-but-did-they-get-better/


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Barring a surprise trade featuring one of the Utah Jazz top rotational players, it appears the additions of Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside, and rookie Jared Butler (https://kslsports.com/464760/the-utah-jazz-draft-baylor-guard-jared-butler-with-40th-pick/) will be the most significant moves the team makes this summer.




wouldn't be that surprising especially with the latest trade. Bojan to the bench and Clarkson out of town makes more sense than ever!


Gay steps into a reserve role behind Royce O’Neale on the Jazz bench as a 15 year NBA veteran with $160 million in earnings to his name.




why not let it play out in camp? Gay should start. Bojan should go to the bench. Seems obvious to me after four years of needing someone like Gay


With those additions, and assuming the team will sign Butler to a minimum rookie deal, the Jazz roster currently sits at 12 guaranteed contracts, one short of the league minimum, and three short of the league max.




guessing they might start with the minimum to save money? If so they might have their team? Look to fill out the camp roster and two way spots?


Here is what the team’s depth chart looks like today:
PG: Mike Conley / Joe Ingles / Jared Butler
SG: Donovan Mitchell / Jordan Clarkson
SF: Bojan Bogdanovic / Elijah Hughes
PF: Royce O’Neale / Rudy Gay
C: Rudy Gobert / Hassan Whiteside / Udoka Azubuike
Miye Oni has a non-guaranteed contract with the Jazz, while Trent Forrest and Jarrell Brantley were extended qualifying offers by the team.


Hughes over Oni? Now Paschall is in the mix which makes it a lot more interesting


Though Gay isn’t nearly the three-point shooter that Niang was for the Jazz, he brings added versatility as a ball-handler and shot-creator, can defend multiple positions, is a superior rebounder, and has veteran experience that the Jazz lacked from their second unit in the postseason.



can play center and should start


He is however a higher-usage, lower-efficiency player than Niang who excelled in his spot-up shooting role with the Jazz. Niang had the third-best net rating on the team at +14.6 while Gay had a net rating of +4.5 which led Spurs.



Niang will be missed


Can Gay step into Niang’s role and improve it, or does his need for more touches alter the makeup of the team’s second unit?



get rid of Clarkson and everyone will get plenty of touches


With perhaps the best guard rotation in the NBA already secured, finding a role for Jared Butler may be difficult. Snyder traditionally plays a nine-man rotation and between the team’s already established four guards, three forwards, and two centers, finding minutes for the tenth-man will be difficult.



that's what the Stars are for


Butler is already a more well-rounded player than Oni and Forrest, though both players have an edge in experience and will be looking to show their improvements over the summer in training camp which could push Butler even further down the rotation.



hard to say that. Big jump. Forrest already showed he is well rounded besides his shot. Oni has shown it with the Stars and glimpses with the Jazz


A strong showing in the Vegas Summer League could earn Butler minutes, especially if the team finds a way to utilize Joe Ingles more off the ball, but asking the rookie to be an immediate contributor would be a tall task regardless.



I doubt summer league will have anything to do with his status. Earn minutes in camp. Assume he is a Star until he proves otherwise. If he went to Duke it would be a different story


Though Favors was clearly overpriced for his production on the team last season, Whiteside isn’t the upgrade fans had hoped for. Just as it has been in years past, the team’s backup center position may once again be the scourge of Snyder’s rotation.



he's cheap as would Bradley have been if they weren't so stupid!


Udoka Azubuike, Trent Forrest, and Miye Oni could provide internal growth, while Jared Butler adds intriguing depth, but all four are likely to open the season on the outside of the rotation looking in.



and what is your take now with rotation player Paschall joining?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/5/22609663/toyko-olympics-roundup-damian-lillard-usa-joe-ingles-australia-basketball-semifinals-utah-jazz


If nothing else comes of the Jazz’s trade with the Warriors, it absolutely doesn’t hurt to add one of the best friends of your star player to the roster.




actually it could hurt


“His defensive issues — particularly on help side — were a source of frustration for head coach Steve Kerr,” Letourneau wrote.




so does COTY play him to appease the best player in franchise history regardless?


All that being said, Paschall was successful for the Warriors when he played center in a small-ball lineup. For the Jazz, that gives them depth at and options for a small-ball lineup in a way that they were completely void of the last couple of years.




another small ball option for COTY to ignore?


Also, Jazz head coach Quin Snyder just has a way of getting guys to buy into the Jazz’s defensive scheme and putting in an extra effort. That’s not to say anything about Kerr and his coaching staff, obviously after three championships during his tenure, they know what they’re doing. Rather, my point is only that if you think about someone like Jordan Clarkson, who was often considered a net-negative on the defensive end before he came to the Jazz, has improved and bought in while with the Jazz.




ask Reggie Jackson about Clarkson's D :lol


With the other offseason additions of Rudy Gay (https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/3/22608459/what-does-the-rudy-gay-signing-mean-for-the-utah-jazz-analysis-san-antonio-spurs), Hassan Whiteside (https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/3/22608778/report-utah-jazz-sign-center-hassan-whiteside) and Jared Butler (https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22601142/baylor-bears-guard-jared-butler-impressed-jazz-off-the-court-and-on-justin-zanik-sunday-school), it is unlikely that Paschall breaks the Jazz’s regular rotation, but reliable and experienced depth was something that the Jazz were lacking last season and having Paschall, who’s current contract expires at the end of the 2021-22 season, is an upgrade.





I'd say it's certainly better than unlikely

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/4/22608952/utah-jazz-free-agent-signings-rudy-gay-hassan-whiteside


Key to Gay’s defensive capability is his versatility. At his age he’s going to be less able to hang with quicker small forwards for long stretches, but Gay could very well be a small-ball five option for the Jazz. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, he’s got enough length and is listed at a rather bulky 250 pounds. In the last two seasons Gay has played about eight percent of his minutes at center and was effective when in that role. Per Cleaning the Glass he had a +7.0 net rating in 2020-21 and a +7.7 in 2019-20 while playing center. Whether Quin Snyder takes advantage of this is something that remains to be seen.




yep COTY had these options already. Chose to ignore them

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/05/utah-jazz-grading-eric-paschall-trade/


The second-year forward’s minutes dropped significantly between his rookie and sophomore campaigns, from 27.6 a night down to 17.4. In all likelihood, suspect defense was the culprit for his decreased responsibility. Paschall’s Defensive Rating of 113 grades as below league average; at 6’6 and 250 pounds, he has struggled to avoid the dreaded “tweener” label.




I'd guess the culprit was they weren't tanking anymore


Still, having Paschall on the roster for the price of a future protected second-round pick affords the Utah Jazz the luxury of having two such players, after having been burned in the Western Conference semi-finals last season, in part, for having none. In the event that Gay gets injured or finds himself in a prolonged shooting slump, it will benefit the Jazz to have increased optionality in their frontcourt rotation.




actually had 3 but COTY chose not to play any of them despite Favors sucking

[Xiao Yao You]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/263733/Pelicans-Hire-Jarron-Collins-As-Assistant-Coach

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: Hassan Whiteside’s deal with the Jazz is for one year, (https://*********.com/social/) according to league sources.
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465371/is-the-jazz-roster-finished/


As it stands, this is what the team’s depth chart looks likes:
PG: Mike Conley / Joe Ingles
SG: Donovan Mitchell / Jordan Clarkson
SF: Bojan Bogdanovic / Eric Paschall / Elijah Hughes
PF: Royce O’Neale / Rudy Gay
C: Rudy Gobert / Hassan Whiteside / Udoka Azubuike


Paschall is a 3? More likely O'Neale finally moves back to where he should be instead of concentrating on rebounding


Miye Oni has a non-guaranteed contract with the team that won’t become fully guaranteed until early 2022 and served as the team’s 10th man and fifth guard for stretches last season.




seems likely he'd be back after the role he played a year ago


With the team operating above the luxury tax apron and the option to preserve roster flexibility, it seems unlikely that the Jazz would carry a full 15-man roster into the 2021-22 NBA season.



they have flexibility with Oni already.


The Jazz could attempt to bring back both players on two-way contracts next season, though, at his current pace, Forrest may be a candidate to join another team on a fully guaranteed contract worth at least double what he could earn as a two-way player.



both need to go elsewhere if the Jazz don't think they are better than Hughes and Oni let alone Mitchell's buddy


The Jazz could choose to sign either player to a guaranteed contract and bring the roster to the 15-man maximum, but with Butler and Oni likely occupying the team’s fifth and sixth roster spots, and Paschall adding extra depth on the wing, both Forrest and Brantley could be redundant on guaranteed deals.



Forrest is a rotation player if he can shoot even decent. Brantley is better than Oni and Hughes and possibly Paschall. Don't forget Morgan who is in the same boat. But if COTY doesn't want to play them might as well let them go


Juwan Morgan has spent the last two seasons with the Jazz and is on the team’s summer league roster, but recently had his qualifying offer pulled making him an unrestricted free agent and unlikely to rejoin the team on a guaranteed contract.




you don't know what is likely. He's still in summer league

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50218180/jazz-forward-jarrell-brantley-looking-to-prove-himself-in-nba-summer-league


At 6-foot-5 and weighing 250 pounds, Brantley possesses great size and strength, which he put to use primarily inside the paint. It was rare for opponents to be able to contain Brantley as he'd simply put his head down and go right at them. With an elite ability to finish at the rim and a solid jump shot, it's no mystery as to why Brantley was an offensive powerhouse for the Stars.




probably even better on D


After his impressive display in the G League during his rookie season, Brantley found himself getting some time in the NBA bubble in Orlando. While he didn't see action through the first few games, he appeared in the last four of the regular season. In the final game against the San Antonio Spurs, Brantley scored 13 points, dished out six assists and had four rebounds — a solid performance for the first-year player.




and coty has refused to play him since. Probably cost them at least two playoff series

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50218888/udoka-azubuikes-size-has-dominated-summer-league-can-it-translate-to-the-regular-season


"We kind of go way back. I've known Dok since eighth grade so we play camps together, play AAU together, so our chemistry is kind of always been there," Forrest said. "I mean, we're really close and always been close so I feel like a lot of it just kind of falls on how we know each other off the court. So, once we get on the court, we know how to play with each other."




interesting

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/05/utah-jazz-ledonovan-transforming-slc-la/


Would all — or even any — of the above news have happened if Mitchell wasn’t in the picture? Highly doubtful, with all due respect to Rudy Gobert, Quin Snyder, Joe Ingles, etc.




you have no clue. Gobert is the reason they don't suck. Conley is here because they don't suck. Gay is here because of Conley. Whiteside is here because no one else wants him probably

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Woodyard: The Utah Jazz announce that the team has re-signed guard Mike Conley (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter E_Woodyard (https://twitter.com/E_Woodyard)



Ben Anderson: Justin Zanik on Mike Conley re-signing with the @Utah Jazz. “He had one of his career years this past year. There’s a lot of things that go into it mostly Mike’s hard work and talent.” (https://*********.com/social/) #takenote | @kslsports
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Ben Anderson: Justin Zanik on the addition of Rudy Gay: “He offers things, better leadership, toughness, size… (https://*********.com/social/) he compliments Bojan and Royce and other our forwards.” #takenote | @Utah Jazz
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Ben Anderson: Justin Zanik on the marriage between the @Utah Jazz and Hassan Whiteside: “I think the role that we had was a real role every night. (https://*********.com/social/) And in the event of injuries he’s a guy that started games for playoff teams.” #takenote | @Utah Jazz
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Eric Walden: Jazz GM Justin Zanik said that rookie guard Jared Butler will not play in the Vegas summer league. (https://*********.com/social/) He has not had physical basketball contact in long enough that JZ doesn’t want to risk his first contact coming in a competitive situation.
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





sucks we won't see Butler. If Hassan plays because of injury it will be for a lottery team! :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: The Bucks will have to take Grayson Allen into the DJ Augustin TPE they have from last year. Milwaukee adding to their tax bill, but they get a quality win shooter (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter KeithSmithNB
(https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)




Peter Edmiston: Needed to clear roster spot, positional logjam, and free up some money. Grayson Allen deal to Milwaukee makes sense. Did him a solid. Taylor Jenkins may not be pleased but this was a necessary move from the Grizzlies FO (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter peteredmiston (https://twitter.com/peteredmiston)

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Memphis is trading guard Grayson Allen to Milwaukee for Sam Merrill and two future second-round picks, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell ESPN.
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)


if COTY wasn't the coach he could have been a good pick up

[Xiao Yao You]

Kyle Neubeck: Georges Niang signing is official for Philly. (https://*********.com/social/) He’s expected to speak with the media shortly.
– via Twitter KyleNeubeck (https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck)



Kyle Neubeck: Niang says playing with Embiid will be, “Amazing…you’re playing with a big man that has to draw a double team every time or he’s scoring…Joel is a willing passer and he can dominate the game by scoring.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter KyleNeubeck (https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck)




Ky Carlin: Daryl Morey on Georges Niang: “Georges is a talented player who can stretch the floor and he immediately bolsters our frontcourt depth. He has shot over 40% from 3 for his career and has steadily improved his overall game each season he’s been in the NBA.” (https://*********.com/social/) #Sixers
– via Twitter Ky_Carlin (https://twitter.com/Ky_Carlin)




Justin Grasso: Georges Niang says that he understands if you can win a championship in Philly, “you’re taken care of forever.” Says he’s extremely excited to join a blue collar sports town #Sixers (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter JGrasso_ (https://twitter.com/JGrasso_)




Noah Levick: “Nothing’s more exciting than being able to compete for a championship in a city that loves its sports like Philadelphia.” (https://*********.com/social/) -Georges Niang pic.twitter.com/2IyKaLz8F2
– via Twitter NoahLevick (https://twitter.com/NoahLevick)

[Xiao Yao You]

Fred Katz: Former Mavericks assistant coach Zach Guthrie is joining Wes Unseld Jr.’s staff with the Wizards as a second-row assistant, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell @TheAthletic. @Jake Fischer first to report Guthrie’s connection to Wizards.
– via Twitter FredKatz (https://twitter.com/FredKatz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: The @Utah Jazz can’t announce the Eric Paschall trade, but he’s at the Salt Lake City Summer League sitting with Justin Zanik (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Rudy Gobert: Congratulations to @usabasketball for winning the gold. You guys earned it. Words cannot describe how proud i am of my brothershttps://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.1.0/svg/1f1eb-1f1f7.svg and what we’ve accomplished as a group. W (https://*********.com/social/tweets/)e will be back stronger.
– via Twitter rudygobert27 (https://twitter.com/rudygobert27)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Golliver: France’s Rudy Gobert: “We tried to make him work as hard as we can, but he’s Kevin Durant. He’s going to hit shots that only him, in the world, can hit. … I think he’s the best scorer in basketball. (https://*********.com/social/) He’s going to do what he does, especially on the biggest stage.”
– via Twitter BenGolliver (https://twitter.com/BenGolliver)

[Xiao Yao You]

Neil Dalal: Tommy Sheppard on the re-signing of Raul Neto “Pleased to bring Raul back after the career year he had for us last season. He was one of our most consistent players with a toughness and tenacity on both ends of the floor that allowed him to lead our second unit and step in.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NeilDalal96 (https://twitter.com/NeilDalal96)

[Xiao Yao You]

Jock Landale: You know what’s pretty cool? We got an olympic medal!!! LFG!!!!! https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.1.0/svg/1f949.svg (https://*********.com/social/tweets/)
– via Twitter JockLandale (https://twitter.com/JockLandale)


way to go Joe!

[Xiao Yao You]

Paul Garcia: To open cap space, the Spurs renounced the cap holds to the following players: Trey Lyles Patty Mills (https://*********.com/social/) Quincy Pondexter Donatas Motiejunas David Lee Joffrey Lauvergne Ben Moore Darrun Hilliard Rudy Gay Gorgui Dieng Dante Cunningham Matt Costello Marco Belinelli
– via Twitter PaulGarciaNBA (https://twitter.com/PaulGarciaNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50219596/did-the-jazz-get-better-this-offseason-gm-justin-zanik-says-moves-gives-them-a-chance-


After the sobering loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the playoffs, the Jazz, as a group, had taken a step back and determined what they needed. It was clear the team wasn't versatile enough and couldn't adapt when it had to; they were far from matchup proof. They started making an offseason shopping list to hopefully address those issues.




actually we don't know that since the coach didn't try anyone else. He still has a job somehow!


Bring in forwards that have some switchability and versatility — check (https://www.ksl.com/article/50217960/what-do-the-rudy-gay-and-hassan-whiteside-signings-mean-for-the-jazz-)



already had


Get a cheaper but still reliable option to backup Rudy Gobert — check (https://www.ksl.com/article/50217450/report-jazz-to-sign-center-hassan-whiteside)


already he but instead they blamed him for all their issues!


"He's seen different programs and how they work, and he's continued to evolve his game and into how he fits," Zanik said. "I think he offers things — leadership toughness, size at the four. … I think he'll fit in great."




size at the 4 now that's a novel idea!


For the Jazz, the move was also about versatility. It gives Utah the chance to play with a rim protector for 48 minutes while also having other options with Gay and Paschall to play a bit smaller.



which they could have done with Ersan, Brantley and Morgan


Zanik said outside of two-way contract decisions and some other "edges of the roster" choices, the roster is pretty much set. The bulk of the work is done, meaning Joe Ingles, who has been involved in multiple trade rumors, will likely be back for the final year of his contract — and now they see how it'll all come together.




not surprising

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465532/ingles-and-exum-win-bronze-with-big-second-half-performances/

Exum being on the floor after his latest injury the surprising part

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465513/trent-forrest-makes-case-for-guaranteed-deal-with-jazz/


The second-year guard averaged (https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021/utah/player-stats) 14.3 points, 9.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while showing off his improved three-point shot in Salt Lake. Forrest knocked down 4-10 attempts from deep over three games, leading the Jazz white roster to an undefeated record.




haven't watched the 3rd game yet but his 3's still looked pretty ugly in game 2


Though the Jazz are deep at the guard spot which has yet to see rookie draft pick Jared Butler make his debut, Forrest’s legitimate 6’4 frame and 6’9 wingspan stand out among the group.




6'7 or 9?


The Florida State grad made a name for himself in college with his ability to defend multiple positions, something the Jazz lack with the 6’1 Donovan Mitchell and 6’0 Mike Conley.




Conley can guard a couple. Mitchell guards none


Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson both carry bigger frames than the Jazz starters, but neither are known as stout defenders at this point in their careers.




Clarkson was before?


For his part, Forrest said he’s not particularly nervous about the uncertainly about his professional future.




no reason he should be. He can play


The Jazz would probably love to have Forrest back, too, but they may have to be willing to pay the price.



dump Clarkson and Hughes

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465445/jazz-make-conley-gay-whiteside-signings-official/


The 15-year veteran has spent the last four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and averaged 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 63 appearances. Gay will assume the role previously held by Georges Niang who left the Jazz for the Philadephia 76ers.




has anyone said that or is this just assumed? Especially after getting Paschall Gay starting makes the most sense with Bojan off the bench. Dump Clarkson!


“He’s seen different programs and how they work and he’s continued to evolve his game into how he fits,” Zanik said of Gay. “He offers things, better leadership, toughness, size at the four — another compliment to Bojan [Bogdanovic] and Royce [O’Neale].”




Bojan is no 4! :lol


“Could be a great chance for us to address a position where we have 48 minutes of rim protection,” Zanik said of Whiteside. “The ability to stay big and play big.”




how'd that work out last time?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/6/22602193/trent-forrest-udoka-azubuike-stand-out-for-utah-jazz-as-salt-lake-city-summer-league-ends


“I feel like a big part of it was showing that I’ve been working on my shooting,” Forrest said after the game when asked what he took away from the event. “I feel like I did that and still could’ve done better at that, but also just being able to run a team. With these guys I’ve been kind of the main guy, and I feel like that was something different for me that I haven’t been used to since college.”




saw he could run the team during season. Can he shoot is the question now

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/6/22606011/utah-jazz-insiders-newsletter-what-to-make-of-nba-moves-in-free-agency


It seems like outside of deciding what to do with the guys at the end of the bench (i.e. Juwan Morgan, Trent Forrest, Jarrell Brantley) the Jazz are likely done making moves.



2 ways, exhibit 10 camp bodies at least

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/6/22613931/utah-jazz-wrap-up-salt-lake-city-summer-league


Once again Trent Forrest dominated with the ball in his hands. Whether it was running a pick and roll with Udoka Azubuike or driving and kicking to outside shooters. Forrest still doesn’t have a reliable 3-point shot but when he has the ball it doesn’t matter. He gets to the rim quickly with good speed and a tight handle. If the Jazz have Forrest in the game this upcoming season, they’d be smart to watch film from Salt Lake City Summer League and not have him sitting in the corner because it negates all the good he does. Forrest is absolutely an NBA player if he’s being used correctly.




He's an NBA player but not a great fit with Gobert if he can't hit an open shot

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/6/22613810/salt-lake-city-summer-league-day-3-preview-utah-jazz-jared-butler


It’s the final day of Salt Lake City Summer League for the Utah Jazz (https://www.slcdunk.com/). We’ve seen great performances from Trent Forrest, Udoka Azubuike and some positive signs from Elijah Hughes and Jarrell Brantley.




what positive signs from Hughes? He sucks


Back to back plays with a strong Gobert move. Where was this last year?

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Aug 6, 2021 | 8:34 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/6/22613810/salt-lake-city-summer-league-day-3-preview-utah-jazz-jared-butler#543408613)


has to get passed the ball


Exum gonna get a new contract.
The kid has potential.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 7, 2021 | 4:51 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/6/22613810/salt-lake-city-summer-league-day-3-preview-utah-jazz-jared-butler#543429860)


:roll:

I'd guess he's headed back down under with Delladova and Kabong

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/06/3-reasons-utah-jazz-counter-lakers/


3 reasons the Utah Jazz are built to counter the Los Angeles Lakers



who's worried about the Lakers?


There is great value in continuity. These guys know how to play under Coach Snyder, they know how to play with each other, and they know their roles. They certainly won’t have the same conflicting Usage Rates. Mitchell actually paced both Westbrook and James in Usage Rate last season, with a robust 39.1 mark. The next highest ranking member of the Utah Jazz in that stat was Jordan Clarkson, who racked up his 33.8 usage rate as the team’s sixth man. In other words, Clarkson was quite often carrying the offense with Mitchell off the floor.




Clarkson rarely carried anyone. Mostly he sucked


Based on these projected lineups, we can anticipate the Utah Jazz’s starting lineup shooting 39.3% from three-point range on 29.5 attempts per 36 minutes. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ starting group projects to shoot a subpar 33.2% on slightly lesser volume, on 27.6 attempts per.




Ellington isn't starting! :facepalm


The fact that the Jazz figure to outpace the Lakers in both efficiency and volume from three-point range with absolute non-spacer Rudy Gobert in their starting lineup speaks volumes. Imagine how this comparison looks if we plug Rudy Gay in as a small-ball 5, or Dwight Howard into Marc Gasol’s spot?




with Gay at the 5 the Jazz are probably a lottery team


Granted, the Lakers have ample floor-spacing in their reserves, with the additions of Malik Monk, Kent Bazemore and to a lesser extent, Carmelo Anthony. The Jazz have answers, and their names are Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson and Rudy Gay.




Clarkson can throw bricks. Not exactly a floor spacer


Few could argue that the Los Angeles Lakers are not more talented than the Utah Jazz, with two former MVP winners and a third perennial candidate. Nonetheless, fans in Salt Lake City have ample reason to like their chances against the Lakers. Specifically, those reasons are continuity, spacing and roster construction.






I could argue it.

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: League sources confirm that Jarrell Brantley is re-signing with the Utah Jazz (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)





to sit?

[Xiao Yao You]

update after Brantley signing(assuming it is a regular guaranteed contract?)

Gobert/Whiteside/Udoka

Gay/Paschall/Brantley

O'Neale/Bojan(Should be headed to the bench)/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson(Should be headed out of town)/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Butler(assuming he is signed to at least a partially guaranteed deal?)

UFA - Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

RFA - Brantley, Forrest

13 guaranteed contracts, 4 camp spots left, 2 two way spots open

With Butler and Oni that might be the 15 roster spots?

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: It was reported that Rudy Gay got two years in his new deal with the Utah Jazz. It’s actually a three-year contract for Gay for the full Taxpayer MLE: (https://*********.com/social/) 21-22: $5,890,000 22-23: $6,184,500 23-24: $6,479,000 Player option on the final season. @spotrac
– via Twitter KeithSmithNBA (https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: Mike Conley’s three-year contract with the Utah Jazz includes some unlikely bonuses and non-guaranteed money on the final season: 21-22: $21,000,000 22-23: $22,680,000 23-24: $24,360,000 Final season is $14,320,000 guaranteed (https://*********.com/social/) @spotrac
– via Twitter KeithSmithNBA (https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/06/utah-jazz-1-trade-make-title-contenders/


After the disappointment of this past season’s Western Conference Semifinal matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz (https://thejnotes.com/) fans have been left wondering what it will take for their beloved team to break through the West and become a true title contender.




new coach and dump Clarkson and Hughes first off


The first was a lack of playmaking around Mitchell. This was partially due to the injury to Conley that sidelined him for the first five games of the Clippers series. Mitchell also was playing hurt, which deteriorated his ability to score and play-make without visible pain. Jordan Clarkson went a bit cold from inside the arc during that series as well.




Mitchell and Clarkson not passing or playing D makes it tough


The only real perimeter defender the Jazz had was Royce O’Neale. Mitchell is solid but was limited due to his injury, and the same thing is true of Conley.




If Mitchell was solid they'd probably be champs :roll:


Insert Jerami Grant (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grantje01.html) into the equation.




good luck!


A Utah Jazz roster and lineup with Grant could look like this:
PG: Mike Conley
SG: Donovan Mitchell
SF: Jerami Grant
PF: Royce O’Neale
C: Rudy Gobert
Bench: Jordan Clarkson, Joe Ingles, Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside, Eric Paschall, Udoka Azubuike


Grant would be the 4. What's the point if he's not? :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/7/22614988/utah-jazz-re-sign-jarrell-brantley


Brantley has shown a little too much propensity turning the ball over and will need to continue honing his jumper to make it a threat. If he can do those things, the Jazz could have a very nice player on their hands. Brantley’s ability to handle the ball at the 4-spot and pass to open shooters is great. He can work out of the post and either punish smaller defenders or make the read to one of the Jazz’s many shooters. Brantley, like we’ve already mentioned before, has had too many times where he forces things and turns over the ball but it’s important to remember that he hasn’t had a normal offseason and training camp the last 1.5 years because of the pandemic. It’s a good idea for the Jazz to give him that chance to develop. Even the G-League was shortened last season and would have given Brantley more time to develop. It would not be surprising to see him get some more time with the Stars this year.



He was all G-league. If you don't think he's got a chance for the rotation you might as well let him go. The coach doesn't want to play him


I'm glad to see we're keeping Brantley, but where does this leave Oni and Forrest?
Forrest on a 2-way, and Oni as the 15th man?

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 8, 2021 | 9:34 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/7/22614988/utah-jazz-re-sign-jarrell-brantley#543445781)


Oni should have never been ahead of Brantley. Non guaranteed. Forrest has earned more than a two way but so did the all Gleaguer. Hughes! :facepalm



Sounds like Brantley just signed the qualifying offer he had from being a restricted FA
So not 100% true that the Jazz decided to sign him today. But I’m happy he’s here nonetheless

Posted by J-Note (https://www.sbnation.com/users/J-Note) on Aug 8, 2021 | 12:21 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/7/22614988/utah-jazz-re-sign-jarrell-brantley#543442821)


Jazz might look to trade him?


Brantley and Paschall have nice wingspan for their height. They have the tools to be good defenders in this league.

Posted by rubar4 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/rubar4) on Aug 8, 2021 | 10:00 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/7/22614988/utah-jazz-re-sign-jarrell-brantley#543446171)


Brantley is
Brantley isJazz might look to trade him Sounds like Brantley just signed the qualifying offer he had from being a restricted FA
So not 100% true that the Jazz decided to sign him today. But I’m happy he’s here nonetheless

Posted by J-Note (https://www.sbnation.com/users/J-Note) on Aug 8, 2021 | 12:21 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/7/22614988/utah-jazz-re-sign-jarrell-brantley#543442821)

[Xiao Yao You]

I actually thought Hughes made a couple nice plays before he got hurt. Morgan made a great pass.

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: Georges Niang’s new contract with the Philadelphia 76ers was for part of the Non-Taxpayer MLE: (https://*********.com/social/) 21-22: $3,300,000 22-23: $3,465,000 Both seasons are fully guaranteed. Philly will have Early Bird rights for Niang in 2023. @spotrac
– via Twitter KeithSmithNBA (https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

Kyle Neubeck: Sixers just announced the two-way signing of Aaron Henry and the re-signing of human dunk machine Rayjon Tucker to another two way (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter KyleNeubeck (https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465638/utah-jazz-unveil-2021-las-vegas-summer-league-roster/

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Rudy Gay on why he chose to sign with the @Utah Jazz rather than other contenders. “One is the culture, the ownership group is great, coach Quin is great.” (https://*********.com/social/) #takenote | @KSLSports
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Ben Anderson: Rudy Gay said he flew to Vegas with Mike Conley as the two sign their contracts with the @Utah Jazz. Says Conley told him where to live in Salt Lake and has acted as his tour guide (https://*********.com/social/). #TakeNote | @kslsports
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Hassan Whiteside said the Portland Trail Blazers wanted him to re-sign there but he chose the @Utah Jazz instead (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter BensHoops
(https://twitter.com/BensHoops)




Ben Anderson: Hassan Whiteside on playing for Quin Snyder and the @Utah Jazz. “I think it’s a great fit for me, I’m really excited. (https://*********.com/social/) I haven’t been this excited in a long time.” #takenote | @kslsports
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Mike Conley said his hamstring is feeling better, said he’s been going through a program to knock out the issues that have caused him problems over the last two seasons (https://*********.com/social/). Lots of yoga and stretching.
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley said he “got a handful of calls from a few different players [on other teams]. I told them I didn’t know what I was doing, but in my mind, I wanted to come back to the Jazz.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)




Eric Walden: Mike Conley said he heard from myriad Jazz teammates encouraging him to come back: “Joe Ingles was hitting me up from Tokyo. He was almost threatening me. (https://*********.com/social/) I was kind of fearful for my life there.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley, on his rationale for coming back to the Jazz: “We’re still chasing that championship, that ultimate goal. And it’s something that’s attainable.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)




Ben Anderson: Donovan Mitchell originally sent Mike Conley a clip from the Wolf of Wall Street and said he hit up owner Ryan Smith and the Jazz to help with the video when he announced he was coming back to Utah (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley, on talking to Rudy Gay to come to the Utah Jazz: “After I signed my deal, Justin [Zanik] and everybody told me to call up Rudy, so I became a recruiter in a sense. (https://*********.com/social/) … I couldn’t be more excited. He’s a good friend of mine, our families are really close.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Along the way, the 6-foot-9 forward ruptured an Achilles tendon. He transitioned from a star talent to a role player. He transitioned from a small forward to a power forward and a center. He reinvented his game so his skill set could accurately match what currently makes for a successful NBA player. He’s been honest with himself. He’s made changes that he needed to make. And now, as he matriculates to the Utah Jazz, he’s doing so for one reason (https://theathletic.com/2761888/2021/08/10/rudy-gay-has-done-it-all-almost-and-thinks-he-can-fill-in-the-blanks-with-the-jazz/).
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2761888/2021/08/10/rudy-gay-has-done-it-all-almost-and-thinks-he-can-fill-in-the-blanks-with-the-jazz/)




“It’s been 15 years,” said Gay, who will turn 35 later this month. “I come to Salt Lake City to win a championship. (https://theathletic.com/2761888/2021/08/10/rudy-gay-has-done-it-all-almost-and-thinks-he-can-fill-in-the-blanks-with-the-jazz/) That’s it. Otherwise, what are you doing this for?”
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2761888/2021/08/10/rudy-gay-has-done-it-all-almost-and-thinks-he-can-fill-in-the-blanks-with-the-jazz/)




“I wanted to be a part of a winning culture,” Gay said. “I wanted to be a part of a winning mentality. (https://theathletic.com/2761888/2021/08/10/rudy-gay-has-done-it-all-almost-and-thinks-he-can-fill-in-the-blanks-with-the-jazz/) I’m a basketball player. I feel like if you put me on the court, I’m going to find a way to make a way. I want to be a guy that you have to keep on the court. I learned a lot in San Antonio. I played with some really good players. What I learned is that it takes a lot to be a champion.”
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2761888/2021/08/10/rudy-gay-has-done-it-all-almost-and-thinks-he-can-fill-in-the-blanks-with-the-jazz/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Fred Katz: The Wizards officially announced the hiring of four assistant coaches: Pat Delany, Mike Miller, Zach Guthrie, Joseph Blair (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter FredKatz (https://twitter.com/FredKatz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://twitter.com/tribjazz/status/1425211531839508480/photo/1

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50221280/a-big-blessing-donovan-mitchell-eric-paschall--2-childhood-friends-now-on-same-team


"He didn't even let me touch the ball!" Paschall said in 2019. "He's going to hold that story over my head. If you ask him about it, he's going to say the same thing, 'Oh, I locked him up.' We still go back and forth over that to this day."




hard to imagine

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50220857/mike-conley-didnt-just-agree-to-come-back-to-utah-he-got-an-old-friend-to-come-with-him-too


"It's just the culture. The ownership group is great. Coach Quin (Snyder) is great. They really sold me on it," said Gay, who averaged 11.4 points and 4.8 rebounds last season in San Antonio. "But even more than that is — a lot of really, really good teams were coming after me and wanted me to be there, but I think this team was the team that had the most need for what I can do."




I'd guess no one offered him as much money and years


With his ability to play multiple positions, the Jazz should be able to find a role — or two — for him.




should start but won't

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465702/jazz-vets-stay-undefeated-in-summer-league/

Brantley played his best game. Probably good to have the contract done with

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465686/paris-holds-celebration-in-honor-of-gobert-france-winning-silver-at-tokyo-olympics/

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465682/jazz-introduce-paschall-gay-and-whiteside/


“Be ready to shoot a lot of threes, I already know they put them up,” Paschall said of what he knows about the Jazz. “So I’m excited and I’ve been working on my three all summer. I know you have to be ready to play.”




hope you defend more than your buddy

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/interesting-decisions-remain-as-jazz-look-to-finalize-roster/


That figure slipped quite a bit in the playoffs, but that was hardly Oni’s fault. The Jazz completely lost their identity for a few games there, debilitated on both ends by key injuries and whatever chemistry juju was making them look like a bunch of grumpy dudes in huddles. The young Yale product was hardly a central figure in that existential collapse. Oni did wind up chasing from behind (https://twitter.com/danclayt0n/status/1404552070439395332?s=20) after screens when he was asked to guard the Clippers’ stars, but literally every on-ball defender could say the same in that series. They just weren’t themselves, so avoid the temptation to zero in on those 3-4 games as a final verdict on any Jazz player.




no the central figure was the guy that thought Oni, Niang and Favors doing nothing was better than trying something else


If Butler were a restricted free agent after one season, the most another team could offer him as a starting salary would be a dollar figure equal to the nontaxpayer MLE. But if the Jazz are deep into the tax again next year, they wouldn’t be able to match an offer starting in the MLE range.



the couldn't or wouldn't?


But then Brantley changed the game by signing that QO. He is now under contract for $1.67 million with the Jazz, although only that $84K is guaranteed. Essentially he’s forcing the Jazz to make a decision on him by the end of training camp: keep me or cut me, but if I go, I take a nice $84,414 parting gift with me as I look for my next pro hoops gig.




so he's probably gone


Assuming everything else plays out the way we’ve described so far, the decision to keep Brantley alone would cost the Jazz an incremental $7.1M in salary and luxury taxes. That’s a lot of money to pay for someone unless there’s a real role available, and I’m not sure there is for Brantley. He’s behind all of Gay, Paschall, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale and to a degree Joe Ingles (who’s 6’8″ but plays more like a guard) in the forward rotation.




sadly he should be in the mix as should Morgan and Forrest


Getting Forrest back on a 2-way would give the Jazz a little extra insurance at PG until they’re sure if Butler can truly fill in there in the event of injuries. If Forrest found a team to give him an offer sheet for a standard contract with some guaranteed money, he could force the Jazz to make a decision. But I’m not sure there’s a huge market for a guard who has made 19% of his 3-point attempts thus far. If he keeps playing well in the Las Vegas Summer League, maybe he’ll catch someone’s eye. Otherwise, Forrest’s most likely scenario will be returning to the Jazz/Stars as a 2-way player.




Pretty sad to lose these guys with Hughes and Clarkson on the roster but COTY won't play Brantley or Morgan anyway

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/how-the-jazz-measure-up-in-the-new-western-conference-landscape/


Last offseason, the Jazz reacted to the Lakers’ 2020 title by adding size to counter L.A.’s jumbo lineups. They committed to always having a non-shooting rim protector on the floor, with the option to even play both against teams like the Lakers. This scenario never really came to fruition. Derrick Favors ended up being a move that cost them, as instead they encountered the other L.A. team, whose style of play caused them problems. After unceremoniously losing in the second round, it was the clear the team needed more flexibility and length. We’ve already belabored the point that Utah was missing one and a half All-Stars, but the needs were clear regardless.




added size that the coach wouldn't play! What was clear is the need for a new coach


Much like the Jazz, the Suns kept their star guard (Chris Paul) and made a few tweaks around the margins. Notably, they swapped Jevon Carter for Landry Shamet, and then signed Javale McGee to upgrade the backup center position. While Torrey Craig left for a bigger deal, they got Cameron Payne back at a great price point. The only reason the Suns won’t be just as good or better is if Paul takes a sharp decline. That’s not something I would count on. Phoenix is likely to be Utah’s biggest competitor for the best regular season record, and has already proven it can go far in the playoffs. The Suns are going to be around for a while.




Paul is due to get hurt


The Clippers did retain Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson, both of whom were key for them. They bring back essentially the same roster, adding Justise Winslow and rookie Brandon Boston. Do these moves signal that they are still all-in with the hope that Kawhi returns? Maybe. But without Kawhi, they’re not a contending team.




might be in the lottery without him


Los Angeles Lakers



shit show

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/10/22257080/the-value-and-importance-of-mike-conley


Speaking of Rudy Gobert, a frequent argument against Conley’s impressive impact is that he shares the court with Gobert for most of his minutes. That’s true, and it’s a valid thought, as Gobert always makes his teammate’s stats look better. It’s important to note, though, that the Jazz, with Conley on and Rudy Gobert off, outscored opponents by 12.1 points per 100 possessions. Interestingly, with Gobert on the court and Conley off, the Jazz were +12.6. Almost identical. Conley and Gobert are both capable of impacting the game in massive ways, independent of each other.




but they aren't the best player in franchise history! :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/9/22617855/azubuike-and-brantley-shine-in-utah-jazz-las-vegas-summer-league-win-over-the-suns


Jarrell Brantley was also impressive tonight with his inside play for the Jazz. Brantley punishes smaller defenders in the post and then combines that bruiser mentality with the ability to finish with a soft touch. What always makes Brantley stand out is his handle at his size as well as his ability to pass the ball. When he’s forcing things, Brantley can be really turnover prone but tonight he played more within himself and ended the game with only 1 turnover. A nice sign! The thing that will take Brantley to the next level will be developing a consistent 3-point shot. Tonight Brantley went 0-5 from three. If Brantley can become a solid 3-point shooter, you can see how he can become a real threat on offense. But he has to develop that to make it happen. Without it, he’ll consistently barrel into walls of defenders.




shot it well last year


The other interesting note was Elijah Hughes missing the game for concussion protocols. It’s too bad for Hughes who is missing a chance to show what he can do. Concussion protocol is highly unpredictable so it’s not likely we see Hughes again.




might be good for him because he sucks and no one will see it


I’m not sure why the Jazz made an offer to Brantley. His shooting is not good enough (with his form will never get better) and now the Jazz have enough players that do what he does athletically AND can shoot. He needs to play for a weaker franchise where his talents might be useful.
I’m looking forward to the season. Go Jazz! Cheers.

Posted by templeguardtm (https://www.sbnation.com/users/templeguardtm) on Aug 10, 2021 | 9:20 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/9/22617855/azubuike-and-brantley-shine-in-utah-jazz-las-vegas-summer-league-win-over-the-suns#543502581)


or a coach that will play him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/10/utah-jazz-free-agency-3-guards-rotation/


After Mitchell, Conley and Clarkson, Utah’s guard rotation gets a little murky, if not entirely bleak.




Ingles? O'Neale? :facepalm


Matt Thomas is another option, however, the 7.1 minutes of action he saw on a nightly basis last season also reflect a limited player. His -6.0 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) does not inspire optimism either.




:roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/


But don’t count on Quin Snyder (https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/08/06/utah-jazz-gm-says/) employing more than 10 players in any given outing. No, recent history says the eighth-year Jazz head honcho may truly trust in only eight or nine guys from one game to the next.




don't count on him having a clue


Furthermore, the recently acquired Rudy Gay and Eric Paschall might together provide Utah with a couple of ways to implement more small-ball lineups, thereby dinging Whiteside’s minutes as well.




same coach


Finally, as a native New Yorker and longtime friend of Jazz sensation Donovan Mitchell, Paschall might be in line for some preferential treatment in the playing time department.




that's what I'm afraid of


Projected playing time for Eric Paschall: 12 minutes per game




who's sitting?


Now, with plenty of promising options at their disposal in the backcourt, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Quin Snyder and his gang turn to Ingles a bit less often than in years past. Perhaps a noticeable decrease in minutes — he’s averaged 27 or more across the past four seasons — would keep Ingles from playing with jelly limbs on defense.




same coach


Projected playing time for Royce O’Neale: 25 minutes per game




don't see how you can play him less!


Projected playing time for Jordan Clarkson: 27 minutes per game




scary thought! :facepalm


Projected playing time for Bojan Bogdanovic: 28 minutes per game




should go down as 6th man


Mitchell is already the man in town — has been for years.

:lol



No doubt, Donovan Mitchell is about ready to reach the levels where only legends roam.







plenty of doubts

[Xiao Yao You]

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has re-signed guard Trent Forrest to a two-way contract (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/jazz-re-sign-trent-forrest-two-way-contract).
– via NBA.com (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/jazz-re-sign-trent-forrest-two-way-contract)


Kind of sucks to have a guy that could be a rotation piece on a 2 way while a contract is wasted on Hughes

[Xiao Yao You]

update after Forrest signing

Gobert/Whiteside/Udoka

Gay/Paschall/Brantley(only 84,000 guaranteed)

O'Neale/Bojan(Should be headed to the bench)/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson(Should be headed out of town)/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Forrest(2 way)

Butler unsigned

UFA - Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

12 guaranteed contracts, 1 partial guarantee, 4 camp spots left

[Xiao Yao You]

The Jazz remain way over the luxury tax, but as of now do not plan to dump any of their mid-salaried rotation guys — Joe Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale — for tax relief, (https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31999577/lowe-winners-losers-everyone-a-wild-2021-offseason) sources said.
– via Zach Lowe @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31999577/lowe-winners-losers-everyone-a-wild-2021-offseason)


Why is Clarkson never mentioned? The guy that seems obvious to me. They'd have a hard time replacing Ingles and O'Neale

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/11/22616658/utah-jazz-offseason-moves-make-jazz-an-nba-title-contender-rudy-gay-hassan-whiteside


Utah was never going to have a big, splashy, extravagant offseason. This summer was about role players and working the edges of the roster




same as usual


The Jazz left the 2021 playoffs with some clearly defined issues (https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/13/22565729/utah-jazz-face-hard-questions-heading-into-draft-free-agency-derrick-favors-joe-ingles-mike-conley) that needed to be addressed, such as lack of versatility, defense on the wing, depth.





starting 4. new head coach. new 6th man


Right off the bat the Jazz’s offseason looked good with those first two moves. Favors, in his return to Utah, unfortunately didn’t add to or improve the team in the way the Jazz needed, and with the Jazz facing the luxury tax, Favors was going to cost upwards of $20 million to keep around. The cost of getting off that contract was a future first-rounder traded along with Favors to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a future second-round pick and cash considerations. The move made sense.



the signing never made sense


Joe Ingles (https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/3/22608945/the-utah-jazz-owner-ryan-smith-mightve-just-ended-joe-ingles-trade-rumors) just simply is not able to take on all of the point guard duties and still be his most effective self. Plus, Ingles’ contract is expiring after this season and the Jazz need to plan for the future. If Butler can develop into a reliable backup point guard who is also able to play off the ball when needed (as he was able to do at Baylor) and knock down shots, then the Jazz will be in good shape.




can he defend?


The Jazz can talk about development of young players and the potential they see in Paschall all they want. The truth is that it was a savvy business move, bringing in one of the best friends of a franchise player, especially at the price the Jazz were able to swing it.




we'll see. Kow towing to players isn't a great thing. See Hayward saying he'd play with Rubio :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/11/utah-jazz-step-closer-another-starter/


Under the right conditions and with proper training, Trent Forrest (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/forretr01.html) could become an NBA starter. It wouldn’t hurt to spend more years with the Utah Jazz (https://thejnotes.com/), under the wings of All-Star guards Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley.




can he shoot?


Even so, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound fill-in floor general drew zero starting nods last season, played in only 30 games, and saw nothing more than garbage-time minutes in the postseason.




why play him when Oni, Favors and Niang are doing nothing!


Then there’s Rudy Gobert, who was just a late first-round pick in 2013. The gangly 7-footer required a rookie year on the pine and in the G League before becoming a vital reserve midway through the following season. Eventually, he also became a full-time starter.




eventually became the 3rd most important person in franchise history

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/11/utah-jazz-2-glaring-weaknesses-cost/


Utah Jazz: 2 glaring weaknesses that may cost them a title



head coach. Best player in franchise history not defending or passing


They could also go another route with it and look to add a stretch 5 behind Gobert. As great as Gobert is on defense, he also got played right off the floor in the Clippers series because he couldn’t hang with the wings and provided almost nothing offensively at times.




as we saw with team France Gobert wasn't the problem

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/11/utah-jazz-contend-nba-1-condition/


The Utah Jazz can contend for the NBA championship in the 2021-22 NBA season if Jordan Clarkson can shoot efficiently throughout the playoffs.




:roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Elijah Hughes is out of concussion protocol and will play for the @Utah Jazz tonight. (https://*********.com/social/) #TakeNote
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed rookie guard Jared Butler (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-sign-jared-butler).
– via NBA.com (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-sign-jared-butler)

[Xiao Yao You]

update after Butler signing

Gobert/Whiteside/Udoka

Gay/Paschall/Brantley(only 84,000 guaranteed)

O'Neale/Bojan(Should be headed to the bench)/Oni(Non guarantee)/Hughes

Mitchell/Clarkson(Should be headed out of town)/Butler/MaCio Teague(Exhibit 10)

Conley/Ingles/Forrest(2 way)

UFA - Ersan, Morgan, Thomas

13 guaranteed contracts(assume Butler's is)?, 1 partial guarantee, 1 two way spot left, 3 camp spots left

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50222416/jazz-signed-2nd-round-pick-jared-butler-to-2-year-guaranteed-contract-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-1522100028/box-score#box-score

Morgan 12 minutes. Writing on the wall. Hughes still sucking.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-1522100028/box-score#box-score


Between Mitchell, Conley, Ingles, Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson, and rookie draft pick Jared Butler, Forrest finds himself competing for playing time in one of the most crowded backcourts in the league.




You forgot Hughes! :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465848/report-former-utah-jazz-player-fan-favorite-kyle-korver-joins-brooklyn-nets-coaching-staff/

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465787/jazz-stay-unbeaten-as-forrest-comes-up-clutch/


That is generally the opposite of an NBA game when playing fast tends to pay off, and slowing the game down to a crawl kills any offensive momentum.




yet the way Sloan preferred


Forrest’s ability to make that play is the reason he’s an NBA player. If he couldn’t run the pick and roll so effectively, he wouldn’t be enough of an offensive threat to stick in the league.




might play enough D though


Third-year forward Jarrell Brantley has been a mixed bag showing good offensive hustle and hit 3-8 three-pointers. He probably needs to narrow his game down to being a three-point shooting rebounder and defender, as he gets into trouble when he tries to do too much with the ball in his hand, but that’s the blessing and curse of his versatility.




Put him out there with 4 rotation players not named Clarkson and he'll be fine


Elijah Hughes play has continued to be slightly underwhelming. Despite hitting a big three at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime, the explosiveness on offense that he showed at Syracuse hasn’t been apparent in summer league.




guaranteed deal!


Unfortunately, Juwan Morgan who also has yet to impress during summer league, left the game with a left leg injury after just 12 minutes. The big man will likely fall victim to the numbers crunch at the end of the Jazz roster and will have to hope to sign a two-way contract, or find another team next season.




he impresses me. Makes some nice passes

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/11/22617294/utah-jazz-give-trent-forrest-a-two-way-contract-banking-on-his-continued-growth-nba-summer-league


“It’s amazing, it’s like watching a flower grow,” Jazz teammate Elijah Hughes said. “We came in together and to see the strides he’s made so far, he’s deserving of that two-way contract.”




actually he's deserving of your guaranteed deal

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/12/summer-league-utah-jazz-dallas-mavericks/


With Forrest’s consistently high level of play throughout Summer League thus far, it’s fair to assume that he’ll at least compete for a consistent spot in Utah’s top-heavy guard rotation (https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/10/utah-jazz-free-agency-3-guards-rotation/). Meanwhile, Udoka Azubuike’s 6 blocks represent the single most impressive individual statistic from this game. If he can demonstrate improved conditioning, veteran Hassan Whiteside may have some competition for the primary backup 5 spot.





He's on a 2 way. He's not competing for a rotation spot :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/263843/Jazz-Not-Expected-To-Trade-Rotation-Player-For-Tax-Relief

Clarkson please!

[Xiao Yao You]

Keith Smith: Tony Bradley got two-years at the veteran minimum with the Chicago Bulls. Second season is a player option for Bradley. Both seasons are fully guaranteed (https://*********.com/social/). @spotrac
– via Twitter KeithSmithNBA (https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA)


good for him! :applause:

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: And Juwan Morgan is unsurprisingly OUT due to a left hamstring strain (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)


so I guess maybe his 12 minutes was due to injury than

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-jazz-not-trading-joe-000023389.html


Utah already used a first-round pick to dump (https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/07/30/report-jazz-trading-derrick-favors-first-rounder-to-thunder/) Derrick Favors (https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4718/). So, the Jazz are at least somewhat concerned about payroll.




not necessarily. He sucked. Wish they'd dump Clarksonm Hughes and COTY too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465946/jazz-vets-dominate-heat-to-move-to-3-0/


Hughes was a ball-dominant guard at Syracuse on a team that lacked talent, allowing him to look for his own shot regularly during his sophomore and junior seasons. In the NBA, he plays almost exclusively off the ball which seems to have thrown a wrench into his rhythm offensively.




He hunted it plenty last year in garbage time and still sucked



In the brief appearances with the Jazz so far, Hughes hasn’t shown off advanced playmaking skills, so he’ll likely have to earn his spot in the NBA by playing hard, knocking down threes, attacking closeouts, and defending, something he said he’s looked to show while in Vegas.



things he's never shown he does


With Royce O’Neale, Bojan Bogdanovic, Rudy Gay, and Eric Paschall playing on the win in front of him, it will be difficult for Hughes to earn regular-season minutes this year. But if he can prove to be an effective 3-and-D hustle player that uses his motor like he did against the Heat, he’ll have a better chance at sticking in the NBA beyond next season.




he needs to go before the season starts. Wasted roster spot last year

[Xiao Yao You]

Teague would be better on the roster than Hughes for sure

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/465918/jazz-mailbag-uniforms-rotation-and-ingles-future/


If you’ve seen Smith in person, or simply in photos you’ll notice that he almost exclusively wears a Jazz hat that is either black with a simple black J-Note logo, or black with a white J-Note logo.




he wears his hat like an idiot so I wouldn't get to excited about anything he decides on fashion wise


So, don’t be surprised if in the coming seasons you see the Jazz with a black and white alternative jersey to go along with their white association edition jerseys and blue icon edition jerseys.




the black or grey jerseys of teams are usually good


I would suspect the minutes stay roughly the same for the starters next year as there haven’t been significant changes to the top half of the rotation.




unfortunately


Despite the criticism Quin Snyder faced for not playing his end-of-the-bench players more, it’s hard to look at those numbers and feel like anyone played too many minutes among the best rotation players.




sure it is


However, with both Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles having played in the Olympics, and Ingles turning 34 before the season begins, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Trent Forrest or Jared Butler get more of an opportunity as the team’s fifth guard to step in and alleviate some of the pressure on the guard-line.




too bad Forrest is on a two way. won't happen


And, if Ingles retires after the season, having a clear understanding of who the team’s replacement for him heading into the 2022-23 season would be a nice luxury.




coming off his best season :facepalm


Additionally, there’s a real argument Rudy Gobert is the Jazz best player during the regular season, and he barely played more than 30 minutes per game. That’s a great number for preserving his health, so I don’t see adjusting that number much unless Snyder has to.




there's no argument. It's a fact


He’ll be stepping into Georges Niang’s role who at times probably stayed on the floor too long just to buy O’Neale and Bogdanovic a few extra minutes of rest. Gay should fill those minutes more effectively, while Paschall’s development will likely determine whether he can squeeze into the rotation as well, though that’s yet to be determined.




Niang was great. Great shooter and defended. Paschall will play. Mitchell's BFF


However, Snyder, like most coaches seems to prefer a nine-man rotation, and even with the additions of Paschall, Jared Butler, and the return of Trent Forrest, I’d bet that doesn’t change. Where the Jazz could see more minutes for young players is via load management for his veterans which Snyder toyed with more last season.




he did? He's gotten worse the past two years. Maybe that will change now that he got Lindsey out as he was apparently trying to do


Furthermore, though he’s long, Whiteside isn’t much of a leaper or lob threat, so he won’t be the offensive threat that Gobert or Derrick Favors was last season. He has more back-to-the-basket skills than Gobert, but he even admitted in his press conference that he was told to expect fewer post touches than in the past.




Favors! :facepalm


However, Snyder has generally preferred to keep his rotations pretty consistent outside of foul trouble and injuries, and unless Gay has a strong resurgence, or Bogdanovic has a steep drop off, I don’t think his defense is good enough to close the gap between how much better Bogdanovic is on offense.




COTY! :roll:


In certain situations maybe Gay closes games, but I think O’Neale and Bogdanovic are still the Jazz best forwards.




Gay's the best PF


That feels like a steep learning curve to be to go from open gym to training camp, to preseason games, to an NBA rotation after not playing competitive basketball since April.




He might be able to help by the end of the year. Certainly wouldn't expect it right away.


First, he’s on an expiring contract valued at $14 million on a team deep in the luxury tax, and if Conley and Mitchell stay healthy, he’s the third or fourth-best guard on the roster depending on what the Jazz are getting from Jordan Clarkson.




He's 4th if O'Neale is at guard instead of pf. Clarkson sucks!


If either Butler or Forrest has proven to be worthy of a high-level rotation spot, and it seems like Ingles won’t be returning next season on a veterans minimum contract, the idea of moving Ingles for a first-round pick might be too good of an offer to pass up, especially considering the luxury tax implications.




way too early to predict what Ingles will make next year


But, we also shouldn’t overlook that Ingles is a top 100 player in the NBA, and those guys help you win in the playoffs. If the ultimate goal is to win a championship in Utah, trading Ingles probably doesn’t make you better this season.



depends on the return. Clarkson, Hughes and COTY are the ones that need to go though

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/13/22622536/when-evaluating-summer-league-nba-prospects-here-is-what-you-should-look-for-utah-jazz


On the flip side, a player like Juwan Morgan doesn’t produce at a high level, but he continually makes good reads and good decisions. He has good rebounding position despite being undersize compared to some of the competition and he makes really crisp and on-target passes. Those are not the dazzling type of plays that are going to make a highlight reel, but they are plays that could get a guy a G League deal or a shot elsewhere.



he can play. Then we have Hughes!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/13/22624137/with-a-dominant-second-half-the-utah-jazz-defeat-the-miami-heat-nba-summer-league-las-vegas


The other player that played great was Jarrell Brantley. In the second half he was knocking down threes and playing great defense. Brantley has so many great physical tools and it was nice to see him using them better and better. There were times the Jazz had him as the primary facilitor and he did a solid job. Sometimes it’s hard to tell just how effective he is at those things, especially when he's on the floor with sub-par teammates but he looked good handling and getting the offense flowing. Brantley is making himself look more and more like an NBA rotation player, he just needs to keep improving.







just need the chance which probably won't be for COTY


The Utah Jazz are now 3-0 in Las Vegas and look very poised to win the whole league. If they keep up this level they have to be one of the favorites. Their ability to score on a Forrest/Dok pick and roll surrounded by players like Jarrell Brantley and Elijah Hughes make them a tough team to stop. Combine that with their size, and rim protection from Azuibuike, this is a team that should bring Utah a summer league title.





let's not get ahead of ourselves. Had to got to double ot tiebreaker to win one


Azubuike is a shaky backup plan if Whiteside is a bust or Gobert misses time. Still a little raw but better than Bradley or Ed Davis.

Posted by TheNextGM (https://www.sbnation.com/users/TheNextGM) on Aug 13, 2021 | 8:59 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/13/22624137/with-a-dominant-second-half-the-utah-jazz-defeat-the-miami-heat-nba-summer-league-las-vegas#543633867)


potentially better. Hasn't proven anything yet. Bradley got another contract for a reason


then we trade Rudy and give them a 1st round pick too just to get rid of him


we dont need a center that cannot catch the ball, looks like a clown under the basket with his arm flopping after the smallest contact with a 5 foot player

Posted by statpower (https://www.sbnation.com/users/statpower) on Aug 14, 2021 | 8:51 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/13/22624137/with-a-dominant-second-half-the-utah-jazz-defeat-the-miami-heat-nba-summer-league-las-vegas#543641100)


tank


https://fonts.voxmedia.com/emoji/unicode/1f604.pngRudy could learn a thing or two watching how dok handles them little fellers.

Posted by rubar4 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/rubar4) on Aug 14, 2021 | 9:57 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/13/22624137/with-a-dominant-second-half-the-utah-jazz-defeat-the-miami-heat-nba-summer-league-las-vegas#543642155)


like Rudy with the French team. Jazz could learn something from that

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/13/22622301/what-can-we-take-away-from-the-utah-jazzs-summer-league-so-far-downbeat-trent-forrest-udoka-azubuike


On the flip side, Azubuike’s rebounding has left much to be desired. In Las Vegas, he’s only averaged 8 rebounds per game, which for his size, is pretty low. I’m not sure if it has to do with his conditioning, but for whatever reason, he doesn’t attack the glass as much as he should. The other (and probably more important note) is that Azubuike is only shooting ~50% from the free-throw line, something that could render him useless for extended minutes in the NBA.




in 20 something minutes. He's fine


The brutal reality for Forrest is that in the NBA, he simply won’t have the luxury of being a focal point on offense. In Summer League, Forrest can show off all of the great parts of his game because he has the ball in his hands every position. In the NBA (and especially in Quin Snyder’s system), Forrest will spend the majority of his time sitting in the corner, waiting for a swing pass. That directly contradicts who Forrest is as a player and his lack of shooting only makes that problem worse. He still doesn’t look very comfortable when he shoots triples and I’m not totally sure that will change in the span of a couple months. Either way, as a two-way contract player, Forrest is an absolute bargain. If he ever figures out his shot, he could be a rotation player.




still take him over Rubio or Clarkson


In Juwan Morgan’s case, this summer has confirmed that his offensive limitations are hampering his chances at a rotation spot in the league. I personally still believe that Morgan could be a good player. He’s got a ton going for him, but similar to Trent Forrest, if he doesn't prove his outside jumper soon then later, he may be in trouble.




since when couldn't he shoot? :lol


Jarrell Brantley has had a pretty up and down summer. In large part, this has been the story of his career. At one moment, Brantley looks like he could be a wildly impactful role player in the league with his size, driving ability, and passing. At other moments, he looks totally lost on defense, forces ill-advised shots, and struggles to make any impact. I think his biggest issue is that he's pretty good at a handful of things, but isn’t neccisarlily great at anything.




just needs to play with NBA rotation players


Elijah Hughes’ summer has been filled with tough luck. Between going through the NBA’s concussion protocol and missing shots he usually makes, he's had a rough out. I think his offensive inconsistency can be chalked up to not playing very many meaningful minutes in the past year, but it’s something that has to be noted nonetheless. The silver linings for Hughes come on defense. It’s pretty clear that he’s worked hard on becoming a serviceable defender, and I think it’s paying off.




sucks


It pains me to say it, but it is time for the Jazz to move on to another young project.

Posted by I'mJazzed (https://www.sbnation.com/users/I'mJazzed) on Aug 14, 2021 | 8:59 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/13/22622301/what-can-we-take-away-from-the-utah-jazzs-summer-league-so-far-downbeat-trent-forrest-udoka-azubuike#543641223)


no reason to keep guys around that COTY won't play

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/13/utah-jazz-time-teams/


They didn’t exactly find one in Griffith. Unfortunately, a foot injury in 1985-86 sapped him of his trademark explosiveness, forcing a somewhat premature retirement from the NBA five years later, after spending all 10 of his career seasons on the Utah Jazz.




the foot wasn't a problem. Layden was


However, the two floor generals listed ahead of Maravich both submitted multiple similarly historic seasons for the Utah Jazz, and so they’re getting the nod over Maravich. Nonetheless, neither can surpass the Pistol’s all-time elite highlight reel.




SG


Utah Jazz Second Team C: Mark Eaton



Eaton sucked. Should be Kelly


Utah Jazz Second Team PF: Carlos Boozer



wasn't better than his backup. Truck Robinson


As previously mentioned, the positional battle for the Utah Jazz’s all-time big man was a little closer than some younger readers may have expected. As valuable as Gobert has been for the Jazz on the point preventing side of the ball, another towering rim protector gave him a run for his money in the late, 7’4 Mark Eaton. In fact, Eaton bested Gobert in the area they’re both most-known for: rim protection. Gobert’s career high in Defensive Box Plus/Minus (DBPM) clocks in at 6.0. Eaton has two seasons with a higher grade, posting 6.7 in 1984-85 and 6.5 in 1988-89. His career block % also trumps Gobert’s, at 6.9 to 6.2 (and it’s worth noting that Eaton’s figure includes the outliers attached to him having finished a career and aging out of his prime).




it's not close. 3rd most important person in Jazz history by far


Utah Jazz First Team SG: Donovan Mitchell



:facepalm


A preternatural three-level scorer, Mitchell has the look of a franchise player for the foreseeable future. He’s already the best player on the current Utah Jazz. The only question left is how far he can climb up the franchise’s all-time leaderboards.




better hope Gobert doesn't get hurt and Mitchell has to prove he's the best player. Not even top 2 currently

[Xiao Yao You]

Former No. 7 overall pick in the NBA Draft 2015 Emmanuel Mudiay is expected to continue his career in Zalgiris Kaunas, per BasketNews sources. The 25-year-old guard won’t join Zalgiris only if he gets an NBA contract, (https://basketnews.com/news-155181-mudiay-is-expected-to-continue-his-career-in-zalgiris.html) sources say BasketNews.
– via BasketNews (https://basketnews.com/news-155181-mudiay-is-expected-to-continue-his-career-in-zalgiris.html)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/14/22623424/utah-jazz-summer-league-about-development-winning-championship-jarrell-brantley-elijah-hughes


“If we win we all look good, simple as that,” Elijah Hughes said.




you won't

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/14/utah-jazz-forecasting-entire-roster-next/


All of the Utah Jazz (https://thejnotes.com/) starters will most likely be of the returning variety. Yes, it seems a reasonably safe bet, for now, that Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Royce O’Neale, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Rudy Gobert will run it back as the regular starting five who anchored a league-best 52-20 record this past regular season.




still no 4:cry:


It also looks as if the top two scorers off the bench for the 2020-21 Jazz bunch, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles, should be back as well (https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/13/utah-jazz-key-players-will-not-traded/) after finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year race.




unfortunately

you forgot Brantley

[Xiao Yao You]

Jon Krawczynski: Summer league standout MaCio Teague is signing an exhibit 10 deal with the Utah Jazz, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell me and @Tony Jones . Teague has averaged over 15 points per game in 22.8 minutes in Vegas.
– via Twitter JonKrawczynski (https://twitter.com/JonKrawczynski)



The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed guard MaCio Teague (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-sign-macio-teague).
– via NBA.com (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-sign-macio-teague)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Juwan Morgan will miss today’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a strained hamstring (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)


end of his Jazz career I'd guess. Too bad. He could help

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: The Grizzlies, with an already packed roster, are open-minded on the futures of all three players in Memphis — and will likely consider trades with some of those arriving in this deal. (https://*********.com/social/) Memphis gets salary cap flexibility in the summer of 2022 with trade.
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)





would love Beverley

[Xiao Yao You]

Hughes finally had a good game but it was mostly one short stretch where he was hot.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/466028/jazz-loss-ends-championship-hopes-at-summer-league/


While it’s true that Forrest has been a poor three-point shooter throughout his career leading up to summer league, one of the reasons his shooting was such a drawback was because he didn’t show off his excellent floater often enough as a rookie.




probably because he couldn't show it. He was left wide open from 3. Why give him anything else until he proves he can shoot it?


This type of pick and roll play has been the key to the Jazz offensive attack with Rudy Gobert over the last several seasons and is a real reason why Forrest could excel in bigger minutes in the Jazz rotation if needed.




If they play with Gay, Paschall, Morgan or Brantley at the 5 he makes more sense than with Gobert or Whiteside. We've already lived the Ricky years and Ricky was a better shooter than Forrest. Forrest might be better at everything else


Furthermore, while adding a three-point shot isn’t crucial, it would make him even more dangerous offensively as teams won’t be able to go under the screen on him. The Jazz offense took off when they moved on from Ricky Rubio, a non-shooter, to Mike Conley who shoots better than 40 percent from deep.




it is crucial. We saw last year he could play effective minutes but we also saw him not guarded on the perimeter which makes it tougher for everyone else


That’s not a knock on Amaechi who because of his terrific size was a better than average backup center in his career. But, if those players who won the genetic lottery can impact the game simply because of their measurements, a player with that size, and a love for the game can be even better.




awful for the Jazz

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/15/22623980/utah-jazz-fall-to-la-clippers-in-first-summer-league-loss-dashing-championship-hopes


These kind of NBA contracts are non-guaranteed and allow the team to waive the player, but incentivizes players to stay with a team’s G League affiliate by offering bonuses of up to $50,000 that are voided if the player decides to play overseas.




I thought they got the money either way


So basically, Teague is likely to be on the Jazz’s training camp roster and then the SLC Stars unless he decides to take an international contract. The Jazz also have their second two-way spot still open and Exhibit 10s can be converted to two-way deals.




another NBA team could sign him as well. Played well enough someone might try to poach him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/15/22623890/elijah-hughes-focus-is-on-defense-during-summer-league-with-the-utah-jazz


Hughes, who played his college ball at Syracuse, already has a deal with the Utah Jazz (https://www.deseret.com/utah-jazz). He’s guaranteed the full amount of his $1.5 million contract for the upcoming season. That contract does not guarantee him playing time, however. That’s something he has to earn.




hopefully it doesn't guarantee him a roster spot. It was a wasted spot last year and will be again. There are a lot of guys out there that are better


The Jazz coaching staff would love nothing more than to have Hughes develop into a wing defender who could be trusted with meaningful minutes. At just 23 years old and standing 6-foot-5, Hughes has an NBA frame and the strength to go with it.




not elite length


That’s why defense is so important to Hughes. While he is a pure scorer and wants to be recognized for that, he knows that versatile and consistent defense is how he can have staying power in the NBA, and staying in the league is what he wants.











We've seen he loves to shoot the ball. Putting it in the hoop not so much

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/15/22626432/utah-jazz-fall-to-the-los-angeles-clippers-in-las-vegas-summer-league-nba


For the Jazz it has been a successful summer league where they’ve seen some standouts among their young players. We’ve talked about it multiple times but Trent Forrest has been fantastic for the Jazz. When he’s been on the floor, good things have happened. Whether it’s gliding to the rim with a smooth floater or finding open teammates, Forrest has been very, very good. His averages in Las Vegas are 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 28 minutes per game. He has been as good a performer as the Jazz could hope for and they’ve got him on a two-way contract. The future looks very good for Trent Forrest and the Jazz likely want to keep him on the team as long as possible.




If that was the case he would have been signed to a long term guaranteed contract.


Udoka Azubuike looked solid again tonight. His combination of size and athleticism is apparent every time he steps on the floor. His biggest criticism? What he does at the free throw line. Tonight he went 6/11. He looks to have created somewhat of a stroke and it looks better than what he’s done in the past. If he can continue to work on it, Dok has the talent to be a rotation big in the NBA for a long time. It looks like he may already have done that. Dok has had an impressive summer league and should pressure Whiteside for minutes this upcoming season. He finishes everything around the rim and shows the innate ability to protect the rim to help on both ends. For 10-15 minutes a night he could be a real help for the Jazz come the regular season.




let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's see what he does in pre season and with the Stars before getting too excited. If he makes Whiteside expendable by the trade deadline they should be happy


We’ve now had two really good games in a row for Elijah Hughes. At the end of this game when things looked out of hand, Hughes was hitting shots to keep the Jazz in it. Hughes’ jumpshot looks great and he is making it at a nice level. At Las Vegas Summer League he’s now shooting 46% from three. He’s also showing the signs of defense that he was asked to do. Hughes is probably not ever going to be a lock down defender but you can see the signs of improvement with him taking charges and getting deflections and steals. Hughes absolutely should have gotten minutes last year instead of Matt Thomas who isn’t on the team any more. At worst Hughes is a player that can come in and shoot the ball with size.




no he shouldn't have played over anyone. Thomas had his moments. He can shoot. Hughes has yet to prove that


The last player that deserves mention is Jarrell Brantley. Brantley had a very Brantley game. He showed some flashes with his length blocking a shot and bothering shooters. He handled the ball and hit some threes. He also had 4 turnovers and missed some easy ones at the rim. For the game he shot 4/14. Brantley is a player I really root for. The physical profile is there, along with an interesting skill set. But I don’t know how long it will take for those things to come together and what that will even look like if it does come together. Brantly plays so wild at times and you just hope he can put it all together at some point. Sometimes I wonder if I love the idea of Jarrell Brantley more than what I’m actually seeing.





fills the box score and makes plays at both ends. Put him out there with 4 NBA rotation players and he'll be fine as we've seen in limited chances


With how he’s played I definitely will be surprised if he’s not cut by opening day.

Posted by TheNextGM (https://www.sbnation.com/users/TheNextGM) on Aug 15, 2021 | 6:37 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/15/22626432/utah-jazz-fall-to-the-los-angeles-clippers-in-las-vegas-summer-league-nba#543679274)


I'd be surprised because the coach obviously doesn't think highly of him


If we knew they were trying to dump Beverley, we could have used Bogey + the Favors trade exception to get him. But, of course, our owner cares about luxury taxes too. They’re not making decisions solely to make the team better.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 16, 2021 | 5:40 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/15/22626432/utah-jazz-fall-to-the-los-angeles-clippers-in-las-vegas-summer-league-nba#543684599)


I'd like to think getting rid of Favors was about making the team better. Favors sucked and needed to go regardless of tax implications. Clarkson and Hughes should be next


Yeah, there was nothing good about that Matt Friggin’ Thomas trade. This isn’t even meant to bash on Thomas. It’s more what that trade represented. When that was the only move the Jazz made at the deadline, they were essentially making a public announcement that "We think we’re a good enough team. We’re not going to try to get better. We’re going to roll with what we’ve got".
Big mistake.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 16, 2021 | 5:43 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/15/22626432/utah-jazz-fall-to-the-los-angeles-clippers-in-las-vegas-summer-league-nba#543684613)


The Wizard saw him as someone that could help them going forward. Hughes was the wasted roster spot and really all the guys COTY refused to play I guess

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/15/utah-jazz-paschall-earn-minutes-year/


Paschall is a rare get for a team in Utah’s position: a quality young player with upside. However, the question remains: how will Paschall get regular minutes in Quin Snyder’s rotation throughout the 2021-22 season? Especially considering the positional overlap he shares with Gay?




being Mitchell's buddy I'm afraid will be enough

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/15/ranking-utah-jazz-big-3-nbas-best-trios/


Meanwhile, the guard comparisons are a little closer. Paul grades out as better than Conley Jr., although the separation is less than casual observes may expect (21.4 PER vs 19.2). Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz’s star young off-guard graded out as superior to Phoenix’s, with Mitchell holding a PER advantage over Booker of 21.3 to 19.2




Booker is better than Mitchell. Saw him setting screens and at least attempting to defend


Los Angeles Lakers Big 3: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook



shitshow


Per CleaningtheGlass, the Utah Jazz, interestingly, held a negative Efficiency Differential (-5.9) with Donovan Mitchell on the floor. Meanwhile, both Rudy Gobert (14.6) and Mike Conley Jr. (11.9) posted substantially positive marks, each over the 95th percentile.




best player in Jazz history! :roll:


Interpret the numbers how you like, but just don’t conclude that Mitchell is a negative presence for this Utah Jazz team. He is their offensive engine, and likely their most important player. Considering that these 3 men frequently shared the floor, a safer interpretation concludes that Mitchell is prone to struggling without his elite rim protector and floor-spacing secondary playmaker.




Without Gobert they would suck as has been proven in the past. Without Conley and Mitchell they still won. Ball moves better without Mitchell and the D is better. Don't need the numbers to show you that. Watch the games


Yet, nobody in good conscience could rank them ahead of this Brooklyn Nets trio. Simply put, they have too much talent. Assuming better injury luck for them, they project as the best Big 3 in the NBA heading into the 2021-22 NBA season.






Bucks. Better at both ends

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/08/15/nba-power-rankings-heat-bulls-steal-offseason/16/

1st to 6th!

[Xiao Yao You]

Cleveland has also explored the trade market. Kyle Anderson, Terrence Ross, Joe Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic, Cam Reddish, T.J. Warren, Thaddeus Young, Tobias Harris, Jeremy Lamb and Harrison Barnes are all said to be available. (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/08/evan-mobley-looks-as-advertised-and-lamar-stevens-believes-he-belongs-cleveland-cavaliers-summer-league-observations.html) Reddish is a player the Cavs liked in the 2019 draft. They’ve been in contact with Atlanta about him. But wings don’t come cheap.
– via Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/08/evan-mobley-looks-as-advertised-and-lamar-stevens-believes-he-belongs-cleveland-cavaliers-summer-league-observations.html)



In initial conversations, sources say most teams are asking for Cleveland’s 2022 first-round pick (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/08/evan-mobley-looks-as-advertised-and-lamar-stevens-believes-he-belongs-cleveland-cavaliers-summer-league-observations.html) (with protections, of course), but that would be incredibly risky for a team with 60 total wins the last three years and projects to, in a best-case scenario, compete for a Play-In spot in 2021-22. Without the future first-rounder, which the Cavs seem unwilling to put on the table for any of the “available” wings, interest turns to either Larry Nance Jr. — one of the few adults and winning players on the roster — or the pair of extra 2022 second-round picks (Houston and San Antonio). Does combining one or both with Cedi Osman get the Cavs anywhere?
– via Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/08/evan-mobley-looks-as-advertised-and-lamar-stevens-believes-he-belongs-cleveland-cavaliers-summer-league-observations.html)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/466109/report-jazz-to-host-luka-mavericks-christmas-night/

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/16/22627169/utah-jazz-rayjon-tucker-and-emmanuel-mudiay-among-familiar-faces-on-summer-league-rosters


Rayjon Tucker, the 2019 G League standout who earned a deal with the Jazz in 2020 before being traded to the Cavaliers in the offseason last year is now with the Sixers and is still making the same athletic, high-flying plays that endeared him to Jazz fans.




high energy defense is what endeared him to me. Rather have him than Hughes


Former SLC Stars players are also featured across multiple Summer League rosters, including Trevon Bluiett and Tre Scott with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Malcolm Miller with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Romaro Gill with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Marcus Graves with the Sacramento Kings.




Bluiett is good

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/8/16/22627429/is-rudy-gobert-on-pace-to-be-the-greatest-french-ball-player-of-all-time-utah-jazz

Gobert. Parker has the rings but not as the man

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/17/utah-jazz-try-trade-ben-simmons/


Utah Jazz: Should they try to trade for Ben Simmons?



makes no sense unless you are trading Gobert


Simmons would give Utah two young stars in Donovan Mitchell and Simmons, who would together set up Utah with both an offensive and defensive anchor for years to come. Ultimately, Simmons provides a little bit more on the offensive side than Gobert, and he has an equally great defensive impact.




Does he give them more offensively though? Gobert is elite at what he does at both ends

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Dok, Trent Forrest and Juwan Morgan are all out against Philly this afternoon for the Jazz (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)



Tony Jones: In addition to dok and Forrest being out, Kyle Fogg and Nate Sestina are not with the Jazz for their summer league finale this afternoon against Philly (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)

[Xiao Yao You]

Justin Grasso: The #Sixers announced they have waived Rayjon Tucker (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter JGrasso_ (https://twitter.com/JGrasso_)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50225043/summer-league-is-over-heres-what-we-learned-about-the-jazz


The Jazz have Forrest on a two-way deal, so he'll likely be lighting it up the G League this season. He could get some spot minutes, though, if the Jazz have injuries; however, his path to playing time seems pretty blocked.




blocked by Clarkson and COTY :cry:


Forrest has been phenomenal with the ball in his hands, and for him to be effective he kind of needs to be running the show. Sure, his form on his 3-point shot is better, but he's still probably not going to be a threat off the ball. The problem with that: Utah has a lot of ball handlers. But the Jazz should be comfortable that if guys like Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson or even Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley need a break, they can call upon Forrest.




He was good last year without the ball. Just can't shoot


For a team that desperately needed a true third point guard last season, his development is good news.




they had him. Could do a lot worse for 3rd pg


Udoka Azubuike was the wrong pick, but he might not be a bad player



if he was the best center available than he was the right pick


A lot of the ill feelings toward the selection of Udoka Azubuike last November had nothing to do with him and more to do with the position he played. A case could have been made for his selection before free agency, but once Derrick Favors chose to come back and Rudy Gobert signed a big extension — two moves the Jazz were planning on — it seemed like a wasted pick, especially when First Team All-Rookie wing Desmond Bane (and others) was still on the board.




the draft was before free agency and both their centers were free agents and their 6 rookies were everything but a big center. Needed to take a center. Bane wouldn't have played either. PG was the next biggest need. Hughes was the wrong pick but got Forrest anyway


The effort was there but the production really wasn't. He was out of control for much of the time, which led to several turnovers, and he didn't shoot well enough. His aggressive style of defense also doesn't really fit with what the Jazz want to do, especially when he gambles wrong. He signed Utah's qualifying offer, but it's only guaranteed for $84,000. That's not a lot to eat if the Jazz want another roster spot.


didn't shoot well but filled up the box score and made plays at both ends. Put him in there with rotation players and he'll do fine as he has in the few opportunities he's had


Elijah Hughes was better than expected defensively and did well to try to change the perception that Syracuse wings can't guard. But he was also somewhat disappointing in the scoring department. He struggled to gain separation at times, and aside from shooting the 3-point ball well, he didn't have much of a positive impact on the offense. He's got a guaranteed deal this season.


he sucks. Needs to go!


Teague has a really nice drive game. He got defenders off balance and showed some crafty finishes. He shot 37% from deep at Baylor, so we knew he could shoot. He's already 24 years old but seems to have the makings of a nice role player.



he's got some talent. Better than Hughes. Not saying much


Juwan Morgan was injured midway through Summer League, but it didn't look like he was going to demand time on the floor anyway. He didn't shoot well enough to be a stretch big threat, especially with his rebounding that lacked, as well.



does the little things and can shoot. Someone will be lucky to have him


Summer League is a lot more fun with lottery picks — or any new picks.



I guess. Just nice to have summer league at all

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/466207/what-we-did-and-didnt-learn-from-jazz-summer-league/


Did Learn: Trent Forrest Can Play



already knew


In seven appearances with the Jazz, the guard knocked down 7-18 deep balls for a very healthy 38 percent on 2.5 attempts per game over the summer.




if he can shoot like that it would be hard to keep him off the floor. His shot doesn't look good still but it's encouraging


If Azubuike proves he can get to the rim in the NBA, opposing defenses will simply send him to the free-throw line and live with what is basically a turnover for the Jazz offense. He simply must get his completion rate above 50 percent if he wants to be an NBA player.




won't matter if he can do everything else


However, there were several long stretches where Hughes simply didn’t impact the game the way a four-year college player with a year of NBA basketball under his belt should.




sucks


Butler was a home run pick on draft night in the second round, but what he actually brings to the team is a mystery.



what he brings to the Stars should be the question

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/466179/jazz-wrap-summer-league-with-loss-to-76ers/


It’s important not to read too much into how the Jazz decided to rest players in the final game in Las Vegas as the team had to have at least eight players available to begin the game, but it’s no coincidence that the Jazz three best summer league players got the day off while Elijah Hughes and MaCio Teague continued to suit up.




Don't think Hughes was going to play until their was an injury


As a two-way player, Forrest will likely see significant time in the G League, but with no limit on how much time he can spend with the main roster this season, the guard may once against be counted on for emergency minutes.




believe their is a limit


With only three centers on the roster, the Jazz may also opt to keep Azubuike with the main roster for longer stretches, but if he is needed to step into the team’s everyday rotation at some point throughout the year, a little more seasoning with the Salt Lake City Stars would help.






needs to be with the Stars until he can play Whiteside off the floor


Hughes meanwhile looks like he needs more time with the Stars as he has to continue to find a rhythm to his offensive game playing off the ball, and develop further as a defensive player.




needs to be cut

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/17/22628823/utah-jazz-assistant-coach-bryan-bailey-head-coach-of-the-summer-league-team


Bailey has experimented with different lineups and actions over the last couple weeks during the Salt Lake City Summer League and the NBA’s showcase in Las Vegas. He’s tried out new things like putting Jarrell Brantley or Nate Sestina at the five and playing two more traditional centers together. The point being that he’s not afraid to just see how things work on the court.



not COTY!!!

[Xiao Yao You]

Erdem Can leaves Fenerbahce to sign as assistant coach with Utah Jazz as reported by Skorer (https://sportando.basketball/en/erdem-can-reportedly-to-sign-as-assistant-coach-with-utah-jazz/). Can worked with Utah Jazz in Summer League for the past six years.
– via Sportando (https://sportando.basketball/en/erdem-can-reportedly-to-sign-as-assistant-coach-with-utah-jazz/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Mike McGraw: #Bulls officially announced signings of Tony Bradley, Javonte Green, Devon Dotson (https://*********.com/social/). –That makes 12 under contract + one two-way (Dotson). Only guys left from the day AK took the job are Zach LaVine and Coby White. (Lauri still in limbo, obv)
– via Twitter McGrawDHSports (https://twitter.com/McGrawDHSports)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/19/22633014/donovan-mitchell-nba-utah-jazz-mvp


Can Donovan Mitchell make a run at MVP this season?





he wasn't even in their top two players last year and now he's MVP? :facepalm


As crazy as it seems, Donovan Mitchell is already entering the fifth year of his professional basketball career. It seemed like just yesterday we watched him get his first start in place of a gassy Rodney Hood, and would go on to dazzle jazz fans and the rest of the NBA as a rookie. Even considering how magical that first season was, Donovan Mitchell continues to exceed expectations and get better each season. Since then, Donovan has increased his points per game in every season. He’s become a great leader both on and off the court. He’s embedded himself in Utah Jazz (https://www.slcdunk.com/) history, casually breaking records held by franchise legends. He’s led the Jazz to the playoffs every single season he’s been here, advancing to the second round two of of the four years. He’s been named an All-star in back-to-back seasons, continues to collect endorsement and brand deals every year.




he led them? All I can say is they better hope Gobert doesn't get hurt


With the Jazz getting a boost and possibly being even better than last season, we need to look at the climbing possibility of a Donovan Mitchell MVP run. Crazy enough as it is, Donovan Mitchell did not finish in the top 10 of MVP voting last season. Considering his 26.4 points per game, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds on the best team in the NBA, it seems like that was an absolute travesty. His ankle injury that kept him out of the final month of the season definitely had something to do with that, but still. National analysts heavily underestimated what Donovan Mitchell meant to this team last season. Rudy Gobert finished 7th in MVP, which was deserved on Rudy’s part. Not including Donovan for the weight that he pulled all season was pretty crazy.




Conley deserved to be in the mix not Mitchell


With last season behind us, looking towards the future, Can Mitchell improve enough in the eyes of voters to make a run at the MVP this coming season? Early MVP odds have Don tied for 18th at 40/1.



Rudy from 7th to nowhere! :roll:


This video that Donovan’s trainer Chris Brickley posted of Spida’s handles and shots is pretty insane. It gets me excited every year when I see these in the offseason, seeing new tricks the guys are doing to improve their handles and game. Donovan Mitchell is insanely gifted, and continues to put in the work each offseason to get better. If he get’s any better this coming season, and the Jazz stay near the top of the NBA in terms of record, he will have a real shot at snagging an MVP, which is just an insane accomplishment.





where's videos of him playing D or giving up the ball?


Yeah, according to Kira, Donovan isn't even MVP of the team!


No Kira, this isn’t a request for you to go on a stat fest for Rudy.
Don’t need a crazy thread like the one saying Mike C is a great value.

Posted by AdMan59 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/AdMan59) on Aug 19, 2021 | 4:20 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/19/22633014/donovan-mitchell-nba-utah-jazz-mvp#543804317)


anyone paying attention knows they suck without Gobert and Conley was their 2nd best player. When Mitchell was out the D was better and the ball moved better and they won. Doesn't sound like an MVP to me


there isn’t a player in this league, and probably hasn’t been since Ben Wallace retired, who could even get close to replacing Rudy in our defense. With the way our roster is constructed, we’d be utterly hopeless on defense without Gobert in the center and the opposing offense being funneled to him. THAT’S why Donovan isn’t the MVP of our team. In terms of pure value, Rudy is existentially vital to our scheme—and that, by logical default, makes him our most valuable player.
That doesn’t mean Donovan isn’t a league MVP-caliber player. He’s getting close to that level, certainly. But the MVP award really does an incredibly poor job of actually rewarding the players with the most existential value to their teams.
As a side note, I’ve come down hard on Kira in the past for expressing views very similar to these, and I was wrong. Kira has a convoluted and sometimes rather antagonistic way of expressing his ideas which makes it hard to sometimes understand what he’s trying to get across, but I’ve come to realize he really does have some unique insights into what about a given player’s game matters. We’d all do well to listen a little more carefully and less reactionarily.

Posted by GregOstertagged (https://www.sbnation.com/users/GregOstertagged) on Aug 19, 2021 | 5:05 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/19/22633014/donovan-mitchell-nba-utah-jazz-mvp#543805424)


but they lost nothing when Favors was in the game! :roll:


We run plays for Rudy every time down the court.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Aug 20, 2021 | 2:02 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/19/22633014/donovan-mitchell-nba-utah-jazz-mvp#543812434)


and he might actually get the ball if Clarkson or Mitchell don't touch it!


Increasing his total rebounds might help him get into the MVP conversation, but I'd rather see him get even a small increase in ORB.


The Jazz was the best rebounding team in the league last season, and #4 in ORB, but only Rudy (3.4) and Favors (2.0) had more than 2.0 ORB/game.
Royce was next highest with 1.2 ORB, which was 3x higher than he had ever had before. You could really see his effort on the offensive boards this season.
Mitchell had 0.9, which is pretty good for a guard. I’d love to see him crashing the boards on offense and bumping that up to maybe 1.5. That would be a good sign that his overall intensity is up (and that would probably help his PPG too).

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Aug 20, 2021 | 5:32 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/8/19/22633014/donovan-mitchell-nba-utah-jazz-mvp#543812915)


Royce got offensive boards because the guys in the corner were going for offensive boards. Not usually where Mitchell is at. He's getting back on D not that he actually plays any

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/19/utah-jazz-3-crazy-lineups-stun-world/


That said, a dozen or so guys appear worthy of playing time. As a result, eighth-year Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder (https://kslsports.com/466277/report-jazz-add-erdem-can-as-assistant-coach/) should enjoy the freedom to get inventive in concocting crazy lineup combinations to keep his counterparts guessing from the opposite bench.




he's had that freedom and chose to play the same guys no matter what


Crazy Utah Jazz lineup: GiantsPG: Donovan Mitchell
SG: Joe Ingles
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Hassan Whiteside
C: Rudy Gobert


stupid


Crazy Utah Jazz lineup: SnipersPG: Mike Conley
SG: Donovan Mitchell
SF: Jordan Clarkson
PF: Bojan Bogdanovic
C: Rudy Gay


only one ball. Get run off the floor defensively


Crazy Utah Jazz lineup: Old-timersPG: Mike Conley
SG: Joe Ingles
SF: Bojan Bogdanovic
PF: Rudy Gay
C: Hassan Whiteside


might actually see that one and they might be able to compete though the team hasn't had much luck wihtout Rudy on the floor


Sure, one could argue that every member of this proposed Jazz quintet is officially past their prime. After all, each of these NBA “senior citizens” is at least 32 years old. And the average age will be 33 plus some change once the season gets underway.




Ingles and Conley coming off career years

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/08/15/nba-power-rankings-heat-bulls-steal-offseason/16/

from 1st to 6th!

[Xiao Yao You]

Fenerbahce Men’s Basketball Team’s assistant coach Erdem Can has moved to NBA, (https://www.aa.com.tr/en/sports/fenerbahce-assistant-coach-erdem-can-moves-to-nba/2341612) the club announced on Friday. Can has been with Fenerbahce since 2012 and helped the team win the Euroleague title in 2017. Fenerbahce thanked the 40-year-old coach and wished him success in his future endeavors. Can is expected to join the Utah Jazz.
– via AA.com.tr (https://www.aa.com.tr/en/sports/fenerbahce-assistant-coach-erdem-can-moves-to-nba/2341612)

[Xiao Yao You]

After being linked to Nigel Hayes and him nearing a deal with FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos OPAP turned its focus to Jeremy Evans and is nearing a deal with the American forward/center (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1239701/panathinaikos-nearing-a-deal-with-jeremy-evans/). Evans, 33, has made his way to 59 games of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He most recently played for AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milano posting 2.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest.
– via EuroHoops.net (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1239701/panathinaikos-nearing-a-deal-with-jeremy-evans/)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50226844/a-breakdown-of-the-utah-jazzs-2021-22-schedule


The Jazz have three road trips of five games or longer, including a six-game, nine-day trip in March that will take them from New York to Los Angeles. That one is pretty brutal with games against the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers — all teams that will be expecting to make the playoffs.




tough one. Need to be better on the road this year


Utah's post New Year's trip going from New Orleans, Denver, Toronto, Indiana and Detroit will also put a lot of miles on the team.




could be tough as well. Detroit looks like the only easy one and we know how those ones can go


But the Jazz do get some help when it comes to travel. They'll travel to Atlanta, Miami and Orlando for one road trip; that's a long flight out and back, but pretty short skip to get to games. Utah also gets some favorable back to backs on the road with Brooklyn and New York, and Chicago and Milwaukee.




short skips and favorable? :facepalm


Starting March 14 against Milwaukee, the Jazz will play 14 of its final 15 games against teams that have playoff aspirations. That stretch includes games against the Nets, Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, Warriors and Suns, among others.




looks different than other years where they end with an easy schedule


According to the analytics site Positive Residual, the Jazz actually have the easiest schedule when it comes to travel and rest adjustment standards; two sets of six consecutive home games help with that. The first comes Dec. 15-25 against the Clippers, Spurs, Wizards, Hornets, Timberwolves, and ends with the Christmas matchup against the Mavericks.




December is usually tough on the road


The latter takes place Feb. 2-14, and features the Nuggets, Nets, Knicks, Warriors, Magic and Rockets.




easy?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/466332/jazz-have-easiest-schedule-26-national-tv-games/


According to the website positive residuals (https://positiveresidual.com/shiny/nba/), the Jazz will have the easiest schedule this season. The site balances how a team traditionally performs at home, on the road, and how much rest they have before each game.




that's a change. See if it actually plays out that way and if they can take advantage


An additional advantage for the Jazz is only having to play the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers three times each, and, as one of the top teams in the NBA, have an easier schedule by not having to play themselves.




Not worried about either team really. Clipps could be in the lottery without Kawai. Aging Lebron, Injured AD and Westbrook looks like a shitshow to me

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/466310/five-must-see-games-on-the-jazz-schedule-plus-one/


Jazz fans will also be treated to the return of Klay Thompson who has missed the last two seasons with ACL and Achilles injuries.




possibly. They just said possible XMas return. That could easily get pushed back


The Jazz swept the eventual Champion Bucks last season with two of their best regular-season performances at home and on the road.




Would have been a good matchup in the finals. Too bad COTY was more worried about getting Lindsey fired than winning


Additionally, LeBron James and Anthony Davis should be back to full strength for the Lakers who are considered to be the favorites to win the West in 2022.




Lebron is a year older and has been hurt the past 3 years. Davis is always hurt. Let's not get ahead of ourselves

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/20/22633343/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-utah-jazz-2021-22-regular-season-schedule


The Jazz open the 2021-22 season on Oct. 20 at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a night that is certain to include a warm welcome and thank you for Derrick Favors, who was traded to the Thunder (https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/30/22601802/reports-utah-jazz-will-trade-derrick-favors-to-oklahoma-city-thunder) in July.




I thought the 30 million was a thank you?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/20/22617088/utah-jazz-insiders-newsletter-what-we-didnt-learn-from-nba-summer-league


Will Butler be good enough out of the gate to earn regular minutes? Are there things in his game that will need significant improvement? Once he’s playing against NBA talent, what will his greatest strengths be?




He won't be ready out of the gate but knowing COTY and without the Wizard to get fired anymore he might play anyway


It seems like there’s likely to be a little bit of competition between Miye Oni, Jared Butler and Elijah Hughes (https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/15/22623890/elijah-hughes-focus-is-on-defense-during-summer-league-with-the-utah-jazz) for some of those spot minutes when the opportunity presents itself, and what happens during training camp and the preseason might make all the difference.




what have you saw from Hughes to think that? He sucks. Forrest annd Brantley are better than all and probably Morgan

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/latest-utah-jazz-news-recent/2021/8/20/22635128/looking-at-the-utah-jazz-season-schedule-2021-22


The Utah Jazz (https://www.slcdunk.com/) and NBA announced their schedules today. It’s the first step toward the new season being here. It’s been a whirlwind the last two seasons for the Jazz, and everyone in the league, with a shortened pandemic season followed by a condensed schedule that every team in the league was just trying to survive. This season looks like the first time the season will look “back-to-normal” once again. At least in terms of the dates.




wouldn't count on normal

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/20/utah-jazz-ranking-nba-shooting-guards/


For the purposes of this exercise, we’ll be mostly looking at a number of statistics from the 2020-21 NBA season, including each player’s combination of scoring volume and efficiency, according to True Shooting % (TS%). Then, we’ll also be looking at their defensive impact according to two metrics: Defensive Rating and Defensive Box Plus/Minus (DBPM). Finally, we’ll factor in Value Over Replacement Player (VORP).




if you're counting D you might as well not even do this :lol


Brown’s 2020-21 DBPM trails Mitchell’s, -1.0 to -0.6. In case you’re concerned about the possibility of noise in that stat, his defensive rating also lags behind the Utah Jazz star, 113 to 110. According to the two most effective metric measurements of defensive impact, Donovan Mitchell was a better defender over the 2020-21 season than Brown.




:roll:


Meanwhile, Brown took a major step forward on offense last season, but he still lags Mitchell by about the margin each’s reputation would suggest. Through 2020-21, Brown scored 24.7 points per game on a 58.6 TS%. Meanwhile, Mitchell contributed 26.4 points per game for the Utah Jazz on a 56.9 TS%.




better true shooting % and not # 1 option. I'd take Brown


This discrepancy in each player’s role is narrowly reflected by each’s VORP, as Mitchell’s 2.5 mark outpaces Brown’s 2.3 mark. More importantly, Mitchell is being awarded points here for being the centerpiece of the Utah Jazz offense. This is not a blemish on Brown’s career-to-date. The margins at the top are narrow, and had Brown’s reputation as a superior defender been reflected in his metrics, he’d have earned a placement ahead of Mitchell.




Rudy is the centerpiece


Scoring doesn’t reflect a significant advantage for either player, as Mitchell generated more volume and Booker scored more efficiently. Therefore, Mitchell’s advantage in defensive metrics stands as the primary reason to rank him ahead of Booker. His -0.6 DBPM is significantly ahead of Booker’s -1.5, and his Defensive Rating of 110 also trumps Booker’s 114.




from what I've seen Booker attempts to play D and set screens. Mitchell just shoots a lot


At 24-years-old, Mitchell represents the present and the future for the Utah Jazz. His Win Shares (WS) ranked third on the team last season at 6.2, behind Rudy Gobert’s massive 11.3 and Joe Ingles’ 7.0. Here’s where opponents of advanced metrics speak up: Mitchell’s significance to the Jazz’s odds of contending, as their lone volume scorer and number-one offensive option, is clearly higher than a solid role player like Ingels’.




is he even the 4th best player on the team?


Mitchell could continue to make strides on the defensive end (again, he graded as a virtual non-factor over the 2020-21 regular season) and as a playmaker (although he’s continued to improve in that area, upping his assists per game from 4.3 to 5.2 last season). Nonetheless, he is the most important player on the Utah Jazz, and looks like the third best shooting guard in the NBA on several key measurements.




better hope Gobert doesn't get hurt and he actually has to live up to the hype


1. Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden


pg

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.nba.com/jazz/utah-jazz-2021-22-schedule-release


GAMES TO CIRCLE: Utah will face the Denver Nuggets (4) and Los Angeles Lakers (3) a combined seven times, five of which come in the second half of the season.



would have rather faced Denver early before Murray comes back. Rather play the LA teams 4 times than Denver

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/21/utah-jazz-predicting-record-next-season/


Several promising youngsters from last season’s group are on tap as well. Yes, guys like Trent Forrest and Udoka Azubuike could be in line for increased playing time after performing admirably this month (https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/16/utah-jazz-guard-excites-summer-flight/) in Summer League.




how are they going to play more?


Deep talent aside, the Jazz’s regular-season slate ranks as the easiest in the NBA (https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/20/utah-jazz-receive-friendliest-schedule/), according to the Positive Residual formula.




their deep again! At least until COTY won't play guys


Without delving into the postseason woes, let’s talk briefly about Quin Snyder’s growth and consistency (https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/snydequ01c.html) as the 54-year-old Duke basketball alum enters his eighth season as Utah Jazz maestro.







he's taken a step back the past two years if anything.


Now, because most of the above reasoning supports the notion that Utah possesses all the necessary ingredients to raise the bar again, the forecast here is that Snyder’s next gang will prevail in almost 75 percent of its outings during the regular season.




Clarkson, Mitchell and Snyder are not all the ingredients

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/21/utah-jazz-5-cant-miss-games-schedule/


If you could transplant Conley Jr.’s mind (and jump shot) into Morant’s body, you’d probably have a top 5 NBA player. In the absence of dangerous, experimental science, NBA fans will have to settle for their respective squad’s matchup on November 22.




some advanced stats have Conley in the top 5


This time, the Jazz will be seeking revenge from a recent playoff elimination. In the 2020-21 NBA Western Conference Semifinals, the Clippers eliminated the Jazz in six games. At this point in the offseason, it’s ancient history: the Clippers ran lineups featuring five-out spacing with Nicolas Batum manning the middle, Rudy Gobert was ineffective closing out three-point attempts, and the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference Finals.




what was ineffective was the coach and Rudy's teammates playing D and passing him the ball


Positional versatility is at a premium in today’s NBA, and the Utah Jazz gained a surplus of it in the acquisitions of Gay and Paschall. They’ll have a better idea of whether they have enough after December 15.




had it last year. COTY didn't use it

[Xiao Yao You]

Three Landing Spots For Paul Millsap (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/three-landing-spots-for-paul-millsap/ar-AANzZZx?ocid=winp1taskbar)

Bring him home! COTY might even play him?

[Xiao Yao You]

Despite receiving compelling offers for Larry Nance Jr. in the past, the Cavs haven’t gotten the one they believe would make them better. Sources maintain it would take a lot to deal him. (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/08/larry-nance-jr-trade-free-agent-signing-will-cleveland-cavaliers-do-anything-else-this-offseason.html) Then again, the situation is a bit different than it was ahead of the 2020-21 regular season — or even the trade deadline, when they rebuffed an package that included multiple late first-round picks.
– via Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/08/larry-nance-jr-trade-free-agent-signing-will-cleveland-cavaliers-do-anything-else-this-offseason.html)





would love him still!