Utah Jazz Free Agency: Potential Small Forward Targets
By Greg Foster
The offseason is upon us, and with it comes free agency. It’s no secret that the Utah Jazz need help, especially at the small forward position. Is there a solution on the open market?
Out of all the problems that the Utah Jazz encountered in their 2015-16 campaign, the lack of depth was one of the most glaring. And while the starting five of Shelvin Mack, Rodney Hood, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert put up impressive numbers —outscoring other teams by nine points per 100 possessions — that’s where the buck stopped.
Utah’s bench, for lack of a better word, struggled. Too many times we saw leads squandered when the starting five were catching their breath on the bench. This forced the starters to carry out the undesirable task of playing catch up, only to watch the lead dwindle once again. It became the basketball version of the Myth of Sysiphus.
Regarding the small forward position, Hayward solidified himself as a budding star in the league. The other small forwards on the roster didn’t provide anywhere near the same kind of firepower.
I promise this is not a dig at Joe Ingles or Chris Johnson. I like Jingles and CJ, a lot. But they are who they are — below-average small forwards who shouldn’t be relied upon heavily to contribute, let alone win games.
Therefore, the Jazz have a major hole at the small forward position. And with money to spend, Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey has an embarrassment of riches to choose from.
So, In a quest to shore up this issue, I’ll be taking a deep dive into the small forward free agents that I deem most worthy and qualified for the Jazz to pursue.
In an effort to keep this piece somewhat realistic, I’ve already eliminated both LeBron James and Kevin Durant. While I would cry endless tears of joy if either one of these guys signed with the Jazz — it would make the team instant title contenders — it’s not going to happen.
Seriously, I’ve got a better chance of licking my elbow while wearing a vest with sleeves.
However, there is a solid list of realistic options that are all worthy of consideration. So without further ado, here are some potential free agent targets at the small forward position.
Next: Jonas Jerebko