2023 off-season

Tony Jones: Utah Jazz rookie guard [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Keyonte George will be out for the remainder of summer league,[/URL] League Sources tell The Athletic. His overall timetable is still to be determined, but an MRI revealed no fractures. George sprained his right ankle last night against the Denver Nuggets
[URL="https://*********.com/rumor/2194133/"]4 hours ago[/URL] – via [URL="https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba"]Twitter Tjonesonthenba[/URL]

[url]https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/272519/Cam-Whitmore-Named-2023-Summer-League-MVP-Headlines-All-NBA-Team[/url]

Michael Scotto: The [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Utah Jazz signed Omer Yurtseven to a two-year deal, which includes a strong partially guaranteed salary for the 2023-24 season and is non-guaranteed for the 2024-25 season,[/URL] sources told @*********. His first-year salary can hit $2.8 million, as my man @BobbyMarks42 reported.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto"]Twitter MikeAScotto[/URL]

Look deep if the other two rookies contribute. Need some depth at the 2. George looks like a pg to me. I'd say ideally they go into camp with Sexton or some other starting capiable 1 and let George earn the back-up spot which I think he will based on what I saw of the kid. Dunn would be a great 3rd pg for George and Sexton. Talen-Horton is a unique talent but he needs the ball and until he can consistently do what he did a couple nights late last year and/or use that incredible length to be a lot better on D he'll have to go. He's young but I don't see him making much sense now. He wasn't in the rotation last year until Conley was traded. He is still young. Ideally moved before camp I'd think. And by the trade deadline you might look to move Sexton if George is pushing him? Olynyk too if Hendricks and Sensabaugh make noise. I'd expect Hendricks too pretty quickly as well. Need 2 more two way guys which I'd guess they might sign one after summer league. Let the other one be fought for in camp? Maybe some more partial guarantees and let them fight it out in camp.

Sexton/George/Talen Horton Tucker/Dunn(non guarantee)
Agbaji/The Bum/
Lauri/Simone/Sensabaugh/Hauser(2 way)Kinsey (Exhibit 10)/Juzang(RFA)
Collins/Olynyk/Samanic/Hendricks/Potter(RFA)
Kessler/Yurtseven(partial guarantee-camp contract maybe?)/Udoka(UFA who I can't imagine will be back in Utah/Boston Summer League team)

[QUOTE] After being drafted 19th overall in 2019, Samanic struggled for two years in the San Antonio Spurs’ system. After multiple G League assignments and very few NBA minutes, the Spurs waived Samanic. [URL="https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/17/23797658/utah-jazz-luka-samanic-playing-for-nba-life-nba-draft-first-round-pick-san-antionio-spurs"]Samanic admitted to lacking maturity, confidence and the work ethic needed to stick in the NBA through his first two years.[/URL] He spent time in the G League reflecting and trying to earn a reputation as a hard worker and someone who understands the preciousness of an NBA roster spot.

[URL="https://*********.com/rumor/2201655/"]17 mins ago[/URL] – via [URL="https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/17/23797658/utah-jazz-luka-samanic-playing-for-nba-life-nba-draft-first-round-pick-san-antionio-spurs"]Sarah Todd @ deseret.com[/URL]





While Samanic has been doing his best to work on his dribbling, shooting and trying to become a more versatile defender without Markkanen in Utah, when the Jazz’s Finnish star was able to come to Utah for a short stint this summer, Samanic took full advantage of the situation. [URL="https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/17/23797658/utah-jazz-luka-samanic-playing-for-nba-life-nba-draft-first-round-pick-san-antionio-spurs"]“Lauri was here for a week, so whatever he was doing, I was just trying to copy, honestly,” Samanic said.[/URL] “It’s not just to be like Lauri. Kelly is the same way with the way he plays — they can handle the ball, and being so big but they can still do the guard things.”






[URL="https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/17/23797658/utah-jazz-luka-samanic-playing-for-nba-life-nba-draft-first-round-pick-san-antionio-spurs"]Team sources have indicated that the Jazz are willing to give Samanic a chance this season and that there’s a real shot of him being on the roster this season.[/URL] His age, height, length and untapped potential are all things that intrigue the Jazz.
[URL="https://*********.com/rumor/2201651/"]17 mins ago[/URL] – via [URL="https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/17/23797658/utah-jazz-luka-samanic-playing-for-nba-life-nba-draft-first-round-pick-san-antionio-spurs"]Sarah Todd @ deseret.com[/URL]


[/QUOTE]

I can't imagine he won't be on the roster. Might be in the rotation. Not sure how many bigs they plan on playing while they start 3! He looked good last year and in Summer League. He belongs. He's 5th big until Hendricks and Sensbaugh show otherwise or Olynyk is traded..

However, the good news is that [URL="https://basketnews.com/news-192273-italy-announces-16-man-roster-for-2023-fiba-world-cup.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter"]Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio will be joining the training sessions starting on July 28. Another NBAer, Danilo Gallinari, will be absent from the major tournament due to injury.[/URL] After missing the entire 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL in his left knee it’s likely that Gallinari will make a full recovery and be good to go for the 2023-24 NBA campaign. Italy will play seven friendly games ahead of the World Cup. These matches involve opponents of Turkey, China/Cape Verde, Serbia, Greece, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and New Zealand. Italy is placed in Group A together with Angola, the Dominican Republic, and one of three World Cup host nations, the Philippines.
[URL="https://*********.com/rumor/2204806/"]1 hour ago[/URL] – via [URL="https://basketnews.com/news-192273-italy-announces-16-man-roster-for-2023-fiba-world-cup.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter"]BasketNews[/URL]

[QUOTE] Adrian Wojnarowski: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Free agent G Johnny Juzang is returning to the Utah Jazz on a two-way contract,[/URL] his agents Sam Goldfeder and Jordan Gertler of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. Juzang had a strong Vegas summer league, averaging 17.8 points.

[URL="https://*********.com/rumor/2205014/"]2 hours ago[/URL] – via [URL="https://twitter.com/wojespn"]Twitter wojespn[/URL]


[/QUOTE]
they obviously like him. Not enough ti give him a regular contract which has to be disappointing for him. I'd guess the last one maybe decided after camp?
[QUOTE]


Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]No waiver for Luka Samanic yesterday, which means an additional $400K of his contract for 2023-24 has been guaranteed[/URL]. His next guarantee date ($600K) is opening night on October 23. His deal would become fully guaranteed ($2M) on January 10.

[URL="https://*********.com/rumor/2204999/"]3 hours ago[/URL] – via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]


[/QUOTE]

Be surprised if he gets cut though they do have a lot of bigs but they are playing a lot too. Maybe it's out of him and Yurtseven?

Sexton/George/Talen Horton Tucker/Dunn(non guarantee)
Agbaji/The Bum/
Lauri/Simone/Sensabaugh/Juzang(2 way)/Hauser(2 way)Kinsey (Exhibit 10)
Collins/Olynyk/Hendricks/Samanic(partial guarantee)/Potter(RFA)
Kessler/Yurtseven(partial guarantee-camp contract maybe?)/Udoka(UFA who I can't imagine will be back )

12 guaranteed(2 or 3 more)/2 two-way(up to 1 more now I believe)
1 non guarantee(Dunn)
2 partial (Samanic/Yurtseven)
1 exhibit 10 (Kinsey)they can have quite a few more of these which are a type of partial guarantee anyway
17 or 18 out of 20 camp spots filled. 2 or 3 more for camp. The exhibit 10 guys aren't always in camp.

Right now I'd think Dunn and either Samanic and/or Yurtseven 2 of the final roster spots but I'd guess they are trying to move either Talen or Sexton if not Olynyk and probably Simone too. Talen makes more sense to me. Expiring deal, young and unique. Should be able to move him. Sexton is a starting caliber 1. Make George beat him or another NBA starting caliber pg for the spot. I think he's at least the back-up by the end of camp.

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50680736/georges-comfort-agbajis-fouls-and-a-week-with-lauri-takeaways-from-summer-league[/url]

[QUOTE]A potential reason for that? Last month, Samanic spent some time as Lauri Markkanen's shadow when the All-Star was back in Utah for a week.

[/QUOTE]

I'd imagine they want a bit of Lauri and Olynyk from him

[url]https://kslsports.com/502945/yurtseven-discusses-signing-with-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]The 25-year-old spent the first two years of his NBA career with the Miami Heat, and now figures to compete for a spot in the Jazz rotation now in his third season.

[/QUOTE]

competing for a roster spot first

[url]https://kslsports.com/502763/the-case-for-each-jazz-point-guard/[/url]

[QUOTE]However, while the Jazz were 24-24 with Sexton in the rotation, they were only 6-9 in his 15 starts, and clearly missed a more traditional offensive initiator.

[/QUOTE]

It was a less talented team when he was starting. No Vanderbilt or Beasley not to mention Conley. Guys that had been out of the rotation were now in it

[QUOTE]Sexton’s offensive efficiency and overall production are difficult to dispute, but he may be the least natural playmaker in the Jazz’s backcourt, which could make him better served as a high-scoring sixth man.

[/QUOTE]

Less naturally than the Bum? :roll:

Dunn is an old school pg and George seems to be playmaker as well. Not sure I'd put him over Sexton yet who learned a lot from Conley. Talen Horton certainly isn't the playmaker he is

[QUOTE]While Sexton may be the slight favorite to start at point guard, Clarkson is the likely favorite overall to earn one of the two starting backcourt positions.

[/QUOTE]

let's hope it's Agbaji. Bad enough just having The Bum on the roster yet again

[QUOTE]And yet, the team’s coaching staff seemed to favor playing Clarkson off the ball, where he recorded nearly two-thirds of his minutes as a shooting guard.

[/QUOTE]

don't have much choice but to play him off the ball. No one else would ever touch the ball otherwise :cry:

[QUOTE]It’s hard to see the Jazz pushing Clarkson back to the bench after signing him to a three-year extension based largely on his strong play last season, but he may not be the best fit as the lead initiator.

[/QUOTE]

not really. Agbaji is the future and the better shooter and defender. No brainer to me. The Bum is a 6th man. Makes no sense otherwise if you think he makes any sense which I don't

[QUOTE]Clarkson is still a good-but-not-great three-point shooter knocking down 33 percent of his attempts last season, though, at 7.5 attempts per game, his raw volume is more than double the next closest candidate to start at point guard.

[/QUOTE]

33 might have been good in 1980

[QUOTE]However, he shot just 43 percent from the floor and 32 percent from the three-point line despite an enormous usage rate, and the Jazz went just 7-12 with him starting.

[/QUOTE]

just 32 is one percentage point different than the 33 you called good! :facepalm

[QUOTE]Horton-Tucker shined brightest when he was handed the ball and given the green light, but with better talent and more efficient scorers in the frontcourt, the Jazz simply don’t need a player to occupy that role.

[/QUOTE]

he should be a 6th man for another team

[QUOTE]It’s safe to say that had Dunn held that production over the length of the season, he’d be the odds-on favorite to start at point guard, and the Jazz would be in good hands with him at the helm.

[/QUOTE]

no he wouldn't. They were playing Sexton and Talen over him. Their best perimeter defender, their best playmaker, he can finish and if he's hitting open shots he's hard to keep off the floor. He should be at least their 3rd pg

[QUOTE]Throw in the fact that his age doesn’t perfectly fit the team’s timeline, and the Jazz have no long-term obligations to the veteran, and there are plenty of reasons why Dunn shouldn’t be starting next season.

[/QUOTE]

about the same age as Lauri I think. The Bum's age is another issue

[QUOTE]While George seemed to have very little odds of earning a starting spot after slipping to the Jazz with the 16th pick in the draft, his standout play during Summer League has to have given him a puncher’s chance.[/QUOTE]

most had him going later

[QUOTE]The guard likely won’t start for the Jazz on opening night, but with his rapid development and high upside, he could earn a starting job before the season is through.

[/QUOTE]

I'd guess he's the backup and if he's pushing Sexton he'll be starting by the trade deadline

[QUOTE]If John Collins continues to struggle to shoot the ball as he did last season, a guard who can reliably space the floor will be at a premium.

[/QUOTE]

Need more shooting regardless especially if the Bum is starting

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/7/23785810/utah-jazz-taylor-hendricks-brice-sensabaugh-update-john-collins-presence[/url]

[QUOTE]I’m starting to believe in Keyonte George as a point guard. I, like many, had my doubts at first, but even in only three games he’s shown me enough to think that he could really develop into a great pass-first, perimeter threat who is able to run an offense.

[/QUOTE]

pass first pg? :facepalm

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/get-to-know-omer-yurtseven/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz still had one remaining roster spot, with roughly $2.8 million of cap space left as well as a $7.7 million salary cap exception. It seemed clear that they wanted to target another center to have on the roster. After renouncing the rights to Udoka Azubuike and then trading Damian Jones to Cleveland for cash, there was an obvious need for another big man. They first offered Paul Reed Jr. a fascinating “poison pill” contract, where a large amount of money in the second and third years of the deal would only become guaranteed if his team won in the first round of the playoffs during the 2023-24 season. That was designed to deter the Sixers who are much more likely to advance in next year’s playoffs, but they they still chose to match the deal at the last second.

[/QUOTE]

hadn't saw that about Udoka but certainly not unexpected. Not sure how obvious the need for another big was considering they have 2 shooting guards and one is The Bum!

[QUOTE]That leads us to the first real splash for the Utah Jazz in free agency. News surfaced Sunday that they were signing Turkish big man Yurtseven, a 25-year-old and third-year pro. The first-year salary is $2.8 million, but is only half guaranteed at $1.4. The second-year of the contract is a team option for $2.7 million.

[/QUOTE]

so he's probably on the roster at least until contracts become guaranteed

[QUOTE]My expectation is for Yurtseven to be the third center in the rotation. Walker Kessler will be the clear starter, with Kelly Olynyk being the primary backup. Lauri Markkanen and John Collins will also likely see time at the center position in certain lineups. That leaves Yurtseven largely out of the rotation. He is a wonderful insurance policy though. If either Kessler or Olynyk struggle with injuries, he has shown more than capable as a player who can step in and provide productive minutes to avoid a major drop-off in team performance. For a center signed this late into free agency and at the minimum, this was a solid pick-up for the Jazz.

[/QUOTE]

you forgot the rooks. I'd expect Hendricks to at least be in the mix as a Vanderbilt type energy guy

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/the-devils-in-the-salary-cap-details/[/url]

[QUOTE]The other way to look at it is that Clarkson opted IN and then got a total of $37.6M in new money for two additional years of his services. That’s an $18.8M annual value on the new years, which is already a really good figure. (Consider that role players like Dillon Brooks and Bruce Brown got more than that per year on new deals.) But what makes that $18.8M/yr. look even better is the fact that shifting $9.2M to this year’s cap sheet allows Utah to pay him just $28.4M over the final two years of the deal.

[/QUOTE]

hopefully by the trade deadline someone else will be paying it!

[QUOTE]Either way you choose to look at it, Clarkson’s cap numbers after this year ($14.1M and $14.3M) could make him one of the best non-rookie contracts in the league. If the cap jumps as much as expected to by 2025-26, Clarkson will head into the 2025 offseason at still just 33 and with a contract that is essentially for midlevel exception money. If his production is anywhere close to last season’s level, that contract is going to be a massive asset.

[/QUOTE]

don't see him as an asset on a minimum contract. He is an awful, ball player

[QUOTE]The Jazz then slid Omer Yurtseven into their last remaining cap space ($2.8M). This is meaningful because it keeps the “room midlevel” exception intact. We’ll come back to that exception later.

[/QUOTE]

had already read they were over the cap before this move?

[QUOTE]As for Yurtseven himself, he’s… interesting. He only played 83 minutes last season, but as a Miami rookie he put up per-36 figures of 15-and-15, and his rim protection figures (.588 opponent field goal percentage at the rim) were pretty solid. The Jazz have a lot of flexible frontcourt pieces, but only had one true center on the roster before this deal, so Yurtseven will add depth there. Kelly Olynyk probably goes to camp penciled in as the second-unit center, but if Walker Kessler were ever to miss any time, the Jazz would probably take comfort in knowing that they have a traditional center option in reserve.

[/QUOTE]

one true center and a few other guys around 7' :lol

[QUOTE]So what can they do with $7.7M? Granted, the [URL="https://saltcityhoops.com/the-jazz-fit-of-every-nba-free-agent/"]free agent list is a little picked over[/URL] at this point, but that’s probably OK given the roster math. Utah stands at 15 standard contracts and three two-ways, meaning anybody they add now requires them to waive (or trade) someone before late October. They’re probably only doing that if there’s a clear upgrade they could nab with the $7.7M room MLE.

[/QUOTE]

who's the other two way? Potter is still restricted FA as far as I know? I can see bringing in more guys on partial deals and let them all fight it out. Same with the final two way spot. They only have 12 guaranteed contracts and the 2 two ways

[QUOTE]The other option is to hang onto it and see what needs develop later. Any “buyer”-style trade the Jazz make from here is likely to be a multiple-for-1 deal that would leave some roster spots open. One way to use the room MLE is to take some shots on minimum-level players, but for more years than the actual minimum salary exception allows.

[/QUOTE]

good to have during buyout season when others only have minimum to offer

[QUOTE]By virtue of the renegotiation-and-extension he just signed, Clarkson can’t be traded until January 7. Yurtseven can’t be traded until December 15 because of his new contract, and the three first-round rookies can’t be traded until August 2. (Joey Hauser technically and Johnny Juzang can’t be traded until August either, but two-way contracts rarely get traded at all.)

[/QUOTE]

has a two way ever been traded?

[QUOTE]Hauser, Juzang and Micah Potter have small guarantees associated with their two-way contracts ($75K or less), but those deals don’t count against the cap. They could be cut at any time without impacting Utah’s cap sheet.

[/QUOTE]

Jazz haven't cut many. They stick with them

[QUOTE]Kelly Olynyk and Talen Horton-Tucker can both sign extensions starting August or at any point during the season, but the educated guess here is that the Jazz will take the wait-and-see approach with those expiring contracts.

[/QUOTE]

can't imagine either will be here long

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/who-should-start-at-point-guard-for-the-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]There are two big questions for Sexton going forward though. First, for as great of a scorer he can be, can he orchestrate a productive offense? Sexton has a career assist average of 3.2 per game, compared to his career turnover average of 2.4. Per Cleaning the Glass, his career assist to usage rate percentage has been in the bottom 30 percent for his position since entering the NBA. That’s not great for a lead point guard. In the two seasons that Sexton averaged over 20 points per game for the Cavs, their Offensive Rating ranked 26th and 28th in the NBA, and they finished a combined 41-96. In the year he mostly missed due to injury, Cleveland’s offense was better when he sat. It’s worth monitoring how he impacts Utah’s overall efficiency.

[/QUOTE]

was at like 6 assists a game last year as the starter. He learned a lot from Conley. He's the starter if he's here.

[QUOTE]Second, if Sexton is a great scorer but not a great facilitator, he may simply better suited to a sixth man role like Clarkson in the previous iteration of the team. Will Hardy could give him the ultimate green light and he can become the Jazz’s scorer off the bench. In the 15 games he started last season, Sexton averaged 16.5 points and 4.8 assists, and the Jazz went 6-9. In seven minutes less off the bench, he still averaged 13.2 points, and the Jazz went 24-24.

[/QUOTE]

again you're basically comparing two different teams. Much different team after trade deadline. I think the reason he might be better as a 6th man is because I'm not sure he stay healthy. He's starting caliber if he can stay on the court

[QUOTE]People seem to forget that THT is still somehow only 22 years old! There were four rookies drafted in the first round of this most recent draft that are older than him. While he definitely has some flaws and areas of opportunity, he is young enough for optimism that he has a real shot to improve those areas.

[/QUOTE]

George is 19 and Sexton 23 so his age isn't helping him

[QUOTE]The most interesting thing to me on THT is how he performed depending on what his role was last season. In games that he played greater than 30 minutes, he averaged 21 points, 6.5 assist and 6 rebounds. In 20-29 minutes, he averaged 13.5 points, 5 assists and 4.1 rebounds. In games where he played less than 20 minutes, his averages dipped to 6 points, 2.4 assists and 1.1 rebounds. Simply put, THT is not one of those players who can fit into any role. He seems to need larger minutes and usage to impact games. During the final 24 games of the season, he had a usage rate of 29.9 percent! During that same time, Markkanen had a usage rate of 30.5 percent. Markkanen also averaged 28.2 points with THT having that high usage and production, so his usage wasn’t taking away from the All-Star.

[/QUOTE]

has to have the ball in his hands. Limits him if he can't develop an off the ball game

[QUOTE]As with Sexton, there are legitimate conerns, starting with the fact that Utah may not be the best version of itself with THT being the second highest usage rate player. That was mostly an anomally because Clarkson and Sexton were out with injuries, and if the current Jazz team is healthy he’ll have to yield some touches to those other guards as well as now Collins. Because he’s not a consistent threat from three, he doesn’t always draw a lot of attention unless he has the tall. THT is a career 28 percent three-point shooter, but he was able to up that to 32 percent on four attempts per game with the Jazz. His ability to be productive as a spot-up shooter and not just a primary ball-handler may be the difference between his ability to gain the starting role or not. Again though, at only 22 years old and in a contract year, THT could put up a productive season if given the opportunity.

[/QUOTE]

and George. He's got to get better on D with his length and size too

[QUOTE]There’s still some uncertainty about his best NBA position. The Jazz clearly want to turn him into a lead guard type at his size, which why I have really watched his Summer League play to gauge his ability to be more than a scorer. In order to start at point guard, he’d have to show the Jazz he can run an offense as a facilitator and creator for others, rather than just for himself. We know he is going to be able to score, but in college he had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio: 95 turnovers to just 91 assists. So far in this Summer League, he has answered that question loud and clear. In five games, he has racked up 30 assists to just 10 turnovers, including his incredible 33-point game verses the Clippers where he also had 10 dimes. (He had two assists and one turnover before exiting Wednesday’s game.)[/QUOTE]

looks like a 1 to me. Already a better playmaker than Mitchell ever was

[QUOTE]Ultimately though, very few 19-year-old rookies are in a position to make an immediate and positive impact on a team hoping to get to the playoffs. Key appears to have bright future ahead of him, but it is rare that a rookie point guard has a positive impact on winning right away. A real concern would be how he will hold up on the defensive end. Already in the Summer League, we have seen him struggle with awareness and getting through and around screens. Those aren’t things that are surprising for any rookie, but if you want him to be the starter from day one, you may also have to be okay with the Jazz having some growing pains that will impact their win-loss record.

[/QUOTE]

good effort on D anyway!

[QUOTE]Personally, I’d love to see the Jazz give the reins to Horton-Tucker and see how much of his late-season push is sustainable. He is only 22 years old and showed real flashes of sustained success over the final quarter of the season. He is a better passer than people realize, he is a great rebounder for the point guard position, and he has the length and strength to be a plus defender guarding multiple positions.

[/QUOTE]

unless his off the ball game and/or D has improved he's the 4th option. Dunn wasn't even mentioned and he's the only two way guy! The best playmaker and best perimeter defender on the team

[QUOTE]The Jazz may not have a star point guard on the roster. (Not yet anyway, check back on George in 2-3 years.) What they do have plenty of solid options available to them. It’ll be interesting to see which of the multiple options will step up during training camp and preseason to seize the reins.

[/QUOTE]

Sexton has put up all star numbers. Maybe check up on him in 2 or 3 months