Joe Ingles Replacement: Kyle Korver
Joe Ingles:
2016-17 Stats: 24.1 MIN, 7.1 PTS, 45.2 FG%, 44.1 3P%, 73.5 FT%, 3.2 REB, 2.7 AST, 1.2 STL
2016-17 Salary: $2,100,000
Kyle Korver:
2016-17 Stats: 26.2 MIN, 10.1 PTS, 46.4 FG%, 45.1 3P%, 90.5 FT%, 2.8 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.5 STL
2016-17 Salary: $5,239,437
Although Joe Ingles and Kyle Korver have some similarities, most notably being absolute dead-eyes from deep, they’re actually quite different players at this stage of their careers. Ingles has proved himself as an emerging three-and-D player while Korver is simply an absolute three-point sniper. The Jazz would obviously lose out on some of Ingles’ versatility if they added Korver in his place, but he would still allow for a relatively smooth transition.
Not to mention, given the fact that Korver is getting up there in age while Ingles had a breakout season this past year, I would be absolutely shocked if Korver ended up netting a larger contract than Ingles in 2017-18. Therefore, if Ingles, who is a restricted free agent, signs a ridiculous offer sheet that the Jazz opt not to match, Korver could very well be a more economical option.
Of course replacing Ingles with Korver works best if Rodney Hood has an exceptional summer and is then able to be a reliable and consistent starter. Ingles took the starting spot from Hood late in the season, but even if the Jazz keep Slo-Mo Joe, there’s no guarantee that he’ll remain in that spot.
However, Korver would work best as an offensive producer off the bench who would be a deadly three-point threat on a Jazz second unit that at times struggled to put up points. He wouldn’t have the same defensive capabilities as Ingles, but in many ways Korver’s sharp-shooting, veteran savvy and prior experience playing in Utah could make him an ideal fit and allow him to bring some important characteristics to the table.
If you’ve followed some of my recent free agency pieces, you’ll notice that I’ve mentioned both Williams and Korver a handful of times. While it would take the right chain of events among Utah’s current free agents and though I hate to beat a dead horse, I truly feel like both could end up being ideal fits and legitimate options for the Jazz both on and off the court, and that’s why I continue to bring them up.
No matter what, it’ll be exciting to see where the duo of former Jazz fan favorites end up next season whether it’s back in Utah or otherwise.