Raul Neto
As was the case with all of Utah’s point guards this year, it was an interesting and ofttimes frustrating season. With an ever-changing rotation at the position it was undoubtedly hard for Raul Neto to get a rhythm and he even alluded to how interesting it was that he actually saw more minutes in his rookie season than he did this year.
However, his attitude seemed great throughout the interview. He praised George Hill, spoke highly of the team and mentioned how the adversity he faced this season helped him learn patience. I almost hate to draw this comparison, but where Rodney Hood seemed to be down about the adversity he faced and the time he spent coming off the bench, Neto seemed to express gratitude for the learning experience he was granted.
Neto is on a non-guaranteed contract for next season, which obviously puts his future on this team very much in question. It doesn’t really make sense for the Jazz to have four point guards on the roster again (although with all the injuries this past season, they did need it apparently) so there’s likely to be big changes there.
https://twitter.com/brandonljudd/status/862050349422489600
However, given that Hill and Mack are both free agents, it’s quite plausible that Neto may be needed as a backup once again. He expressed that he was happy to be with the Jazz and quite frankly it appears that Coach Snyder and the team like what he brings to the table, but Neto himself made it clear that he knows he’s on a team option and that his future with the Jazz is very much unclear.
Much like I felt with Diaw, I’d like to see Neto come back. However, if retaining him doesn’t make sense from a financial or personnel standpoint, then the Jazz may be forced to make a tough but necessary decision and let the Brazilian point guard go.