The Utah Jazz have reached a crossroads in terms of what needs to be done to transform the team from playoff pretenders to legitimate contenders in the Western Conference.
With the regular season in the books and the NBA Playoffs well underway, the sting of the Utah Jazz missing the postseason boat is slowly starting to fade. Now, Jazz brass, players and fans have begun to look ahead toward what is hopefully a bright future. Although the season certainly didn’t end as many had hoped, there still is no shortage of reasons to be optimistic for what lies ahead.
While the Jazz were fairly quiet at the trade deadline, only bringing over the Atlanta Hawks’ third-string point guard Shelvin Mack, it is now no secret that Utah was fairly close to making a splash by agreeing on some higher impact deals. Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey made it very clear during the team’s end-of-year media sessions that there were two potential deals that were agreed upon in principle, but weren’t able to be finalized.
The “what-if” situations related to this are almost unending, but one thing that it means for sure is that the Jazz organization is now ready to look beyond its own training grounds to bring in talent and success to Salt Lake City. This likely means that Utah will be in for a busy offseason.
While the rumors will probably begin flying in a few short months about what free agents are looking to go where or which players have been mentioned in potential trades, the Jazz first and foremost will need to examine who they have currently, who they should and shouldn’t hold on to and who they should be willing to shop. In the following slides, I present my take on how each Jazz player on the current roster should be viewed heading into the off-season.
One disclaimer for those marked as “keepers”–of course this would change if for some reason the Jazz were to receive a ridiculously good offer for them. For example, if the Oklahoma City Thunder decided to offer up Kevin Durant for Trey Lyles, you bet we’d take that in a heartbeat!
Of course, that isn’t going to happen, but on those who I’ve identified as players the Jazz should definitely keep, bear in mind that I have done so with realistic expectations of their value across the league and assuming the only offers that would come the Jazz’s way would be ones for a player with similar ability, pay, etc. Without further ado, here we go!
Next: Derrick Favors
Derrick Favors – Keeper
Derrick Favors, like the team as a whole, had his ups and downs this season. Unfortunately he had to suffer through multiple injuries and at the end of the season he displayed some obvious discomfort on the court. Nevertheless, Jazz fans have to be happy with the progress that Favors has made up to this point.
He finished the year with a career-high average of 16.4 points per game and put up several performances where he was the best Jazz player on the court. His passing and decision-making continue to improve as does his leadership among his teammates. While it would have been nice to see a bigger jump in his rebounding numbers and field goal percentage, this lack of improvement statistically is likely due to the fact that he played several games at less than 100 percent.
Finally, Favors has shown nothing but pride in playing for the Utah Jazz. With so many players anxious to leave the Beehive State for what they consider to be greener pastures, you can never overlook the importance of someone who is happy to stay and play in Salt Lake City.
Next: Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert – Keeper
Much like Favors, Rudy Gobert had his ups and downs this year but also had his share of injuries. In all honesty, Gobert didn’t quite live up to the hopes many had for him in terms of improvement this season after causing quite a stir across the league in the latter part of the 2014-15 season.
Nevertheless, he and Favors create such a formidable and versatile frontcourt duo that the Jazz shouldn’t dream of breaking up the “Wasatch Front.”
It’s a rare commodity to have two bigs like the Jazz who are able to effectively protect the rim while also running the floor. When both Favors and Gobert are on point, they have become very solid at interior passing and compliment each other well on the floor. They possess a lot of skills that may not make them the most talented players in the league at their position, but certainly make them among the most unique.
Furthermore, Gobert is still just 23 years old and has plenty of time to improve some of the weak points in his game while already flourishing as a rim protector, shot blocker and rebounder. As the Jazz continue to build and focus on their defensive identity, keeping Gobert will be a key part of the equation.
Next: Trey Lyles
Trey Lyles – Keeper
Trey Lyles was certainly a pleasant surprise in his rookie season. With the onslaught of injuries that befell Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, Lyles found himself on several occasions filling an important role on this Jazz team including serving as a starter in 33 games.
Particularly in the second half of the season, Lyles showed a great deal of versatility and upside that could become very handy to the Jazz later down the road. He finished with a career high 22 points in the win over Denver late in the year and turned into a relatively solid stretch four option shooting 38.3 percent from the three-point line on the year.
To put that in perspective, while obviously it was on fewer shots, Lyles actually finished the season with a better percentage from beyond the arc than Rodney Hood, Shelvin Mack, Trey Burke and Gordon Hayward. There’s no reason that the Jazz should look to part with a player that possesses the kind of potential that Lyles has.
Next: Rodney Hood
Rodney Hood – Keeper
Despite a rough shooting start at the beginning of the year, Hood became a potent offensive threat in the latter part of the year. Sure, he still struggles with consistency on occasion, but overall the second-year player out of Duke has been a pleasant surprise and arguably one of the top three best second-year players in the league.
Hood’s stats improved pretty much across the board from last season. On several occasions, his hot hand almost single-handedly won games or turned the tide in close contests. It’s interesting to note that Hood shot 42.2 percent from deep in post All-Star break wins and just 29.3 percent in losses.
This speaks volumes to the impact he has on the team and how much of a leap the team could take simply by seeing Hood improve his consistency.
With solid defensive abilities and a much-improved offensive prowess on a team that at times struggles to score, holding on to Rodney Hood is an absolute must for the Jazz. He certainly to this point has proven to be one of the steals of the 2014 draft and the Jazz would be wise to keep him around to continue his development.
Next: Dante Exum
Dante Exum – Keeper, For Now
I suppose that with how young the aforementioned Jazz players are, they could all have the “for now” disclaimer after their name. There’s no telling what might change with each player or the Jazz organization in the upcoming years. However, none seem as questionable as Dante Exum.
Despite missing the entirety of the 2015-16 season, he’s undoubtedly still a keeper for the Jazz simply because of his raw talent and incalculable upside. After using the fifth pick in the draft to select him, the Jazz would be foolish to part ways with a player so early in his career who certainly has shown hints of becoming a player who could truly pan out.
If nothing else, Exum proved in his rookie season that he is a lock down defender with the potential to one day become elite. Using his length and speed, he challenged some of the top point guards in the league. While the Jazz certainly need improved offense (and hope that Exum will down the road be able to help with that), he’s a perfect piece for them to continue to bolster their defensive identity.
There’s high hopes that Exum lives up to his hype and becomes the electrifying player many predicted he could become. In hope that this truly unfolds, the Jazz need to hold on to him. However, if he is set back by the knee injury or fails to show much progress, this verdict could certainly change sooner rather than later.
Next: Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward – Shoppable
Now hear me out on this one. It seems that Jazz fans are pretty divided when it comes to Gordon Hayward. Some love and praise him while others seem to dog on him constantly, throwing an unnecessary amount of blame on his shoulders. I tend to place myself somewhere in the middle of those two extremes.
Hayward is without a doubt a solid player who, despite his flaws, has done an exceptional job with the Jazz. He works hard, plays hard and was a much better leader in the 2015-16 season. However, Hayward certainly doesn’t seem to be the superstar who will take the Jazz to the promised land.
If the Jazz can land a talented free agent who could play alongside Hayward, allowing him to step into being the second or third option rather than the first, then it would certainly be ideal to keep him on the team. However, if Hayward has to be a piece that is sent to another team in order to bring in a bigger fish, then the Jazz shouldn’t be afraid to do so.
While Hayward is arguably the best player on the team, he doesn’t possess as many unique qualities as teammates such as Favors or Gobert. This lack of unique and hard to replace abilities are what make Hayward more expendable than some of his counterparts.
Also, Hayward certainly isn’t coming cheap, especially when considering that he makes nearly the same amount as All-Stars John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Klay Thompson and earns more than the likes of Draymond Green and Kyle Lowry.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that he isn’t worth the money, but it means that if the Jazz need more financial flexibility to spend on more proven talent, then they shouldn’t be afraid of considering moving Hayward.
After six years in the league, it’s not a stretch to say that we largely know what we’re going to get out of Hayward and that he may not be too far from his ceiling already.
Next: Alec Burks
Alec Burks – Shoppable
In many ways, the situation with Alec Burks is very similar to that of Hayward. He’s a solid player, but we’ve already seen a lot of what he can do and the Jazz are already very much used to playing without him. Over the past two seasons, Burks has only played in a total of 58 games. This seeming lack of durability is definitely a reason for concern that the Jazz will have to consider when evaluating Burks’ long term place on this team.
Nevertheless, with this being said, it’s also quite possible that perhaps Burks is one healthy season away from breaking out as an All-Star level talent. He surely has shown moments of brilliance and at times has appeared to be a key offensive piece for the Jazz. You don’t get called the league’s most underrated player by Dwayne Wade, one of the NBA’s all-time greats, for nothing.
Therefore, if the right opportunity arises, the Jazz should be open to moving Burks, however they must not let his last two injury-plagued seasons influence them to surrender him at too low of a price.
Next: Shelvin Mack and Raul Neto
Shelvin Mack and Raul Neto – Shoppable
I’ve bundled these two together because their status is pretty similar for a variety of reasons. Shelvin Mack ended up being an exciting pick-up for the Utah Jazz and appeared to be a solid fit. He finished the year averaging 12.7 points in a Jazz uniform and easily led the team in assists with 5.3 per game.
Raul Neto was a surprise in some ways who not only exhibited formidable defense but also ended the year as a pretty reliable three-point threat. He finished the year shooting 39.5 percent from deep, good for second best on the team behind only Alec Burks whose numbers were slightly skewed due to missed time.
While both Neto and Mack fit well with the Jazz and could very well continue to be solid pieces of a successful Jazz squad, neither one can be deemed absolutely crucial for Utah’s success. Particularly with four point guards currently on the roster, it’s clear that the Jazz will need to make moves at this position to shore up the shooting guard or small forward position.
Although neither one of these two players should be let go of too readily due to their solid fit and positive impact, the Jazz also shouldn’t cling to either one too tightly if a more beneficial agreement could be reached.
Next: Trevor Booker and Joe Ingles
Trevor Booker and Joe Ingles – Cautiously Shoppable
Again, I’ve placed these two together due to similar situations. Obviously Trevor Booker and Joe Ingles are far from the powerhouses of this Utah Jazz team. Ideally, it would be nice to secure a more talented substitute for each of them, which is what gives them the shoppable status, yet at the same time the Jazz should be cautious before removing either of these two off the roster.
First of all, it’s not likely that the Jazz could get much in return for either one of them, unless of course they were tied into a bigger package in which case it might be wise to trade them away depending on the situation. Yet under regular circumstances, any trade regarding Ingles or Booker would likely be a lateral move in terms of talent.
But where the Jazz would most need to be careful in terms of making decisions on these two players is with their impact on the locker room and overall team chemistry. While, statistically, they might not seem to make that consistent of an impact, their roles go much deeper than just what shows up in a box score.
Booker and Ingles have been excellent “glue guys” that have helped the Jazz play together as a unit, have provided great energy and have brought a more mature presence to a young team. Tweaking these intangibles can have devastating effects on a team’s mentality and togetherness.
Many have cited Lyles’ emergence as a top reason to replace Booker, yet time and time again it was Booker who left his mark on games by being the best at providing a spark off the bench. Also, both Booker and Ingles have had nothing but praise for this Utah squad, which as previously stated in the case of Favors, is something that truly cannot be overlooked when seeking long-term cohesion.
Thus while Booker and Ingles certainly aren’t untouchable by any means, the Jazz should be cautious before immediately considering them expendable.
Next: Jeff Withey and Tibor Pleiss
Jeff Withey and Tibor Pleiss – Expendable
While Jeff Withey put in some respectable minutes for the Jazz when his number was called, there’s certainly no reason for the Jazz to worry too much about keeping him around should they be able to find more talent or potential in free agency, the draft, or a trade. With Favors able to switch to play the center spot and solid back-ups in Booker and Lyles, Withey’s spot on the team is far from crucial.
Similarly, while Tibor Pleiss may still have some upside, it’s not likely that the 26-year old out of Germany will make enough strides to provide a true impact for the Jazz. If the Jazz need an excess roster spot or an additional throw-in to get a trade done, either of these players could easily be one of the ones to go.
Next: Trey Burke
Trey Burke – Needs to Go
I do not wish to insult Trey Burke by any means with this segment, but the reality is that he and the Jazz need to part ways. He has been a true professional, hard-working and a good teammate, but at the end of the day he has proven to not be a good fit with the Jazz.
After acquiring Mack in the trade deadline deal, Burke rarely saw the floor again. His lack of defensive ability and shooting struggles have made him too much of a liability for the Jazz. Nevertheless, his value isn’t completely gone. Plenty of teams looking for a back-up point guard could find use for Trey Burke. He is still young and his reputation as a hot shooter certainly hasn’t vanished in the minds of many.
If the Jazz are able to get any sort of value for Burke, even if just to add depth at a different position, they should most definitely look to do so.
Next: Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson – Needs to Go
It kind of makes me sad to write this because I was honestly a fan of Chris Johnson during the offseason when the Jazz were finalizing who would make their final roster. He is a decent defender and I loved seeing the enthusiasm he would display on the bench to get his team fired up or to celebrate a big moment. However, his shooting became absolutely appalling this year.
Johnson shot 27.3 percent from deep, the worst of any non power forward/center on the team and had the very worst field goal percentage at 37.1 percent. In his final 13 games, Johnson made just 3 of 19 (15.8 percent) of his three-point attempts. With no contract in place for 2016-17, the Jazz should have no problem finding someone in the draft, free agency, or even from the D-League to replace Johnson’s lack of on-court production.
Next: Utah Jazz Fans Would Keep Hayward Over Harden?
So there you have my take on how the Jazz should view each of their players as they head into the what very likely could be a thrilling off-season. What do you think about how I’ve categorized each player? Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter.
All stats courtesy of NBA.com/stats