As we get closer and closer to free agency, the Utah Jazz will look to bring in quality players who can help them make the leap into contention. Today we’ll look at realistic shooting wings.
The Utah Jazz were able to prove during the 2017-18 season that they are on the brink of breaking through in the West. After a rough start to the year, they finish with a 29-6 record down the stretch, and even won their first-round playoff series against a team with two All-Stars.
If not for the injury trouble they had to deal with, the Jazz were legitimately a 55-win team. According to ManGamesLost.com, the Jazz lost the most wins due to injury this past season. They calculated the number at 12.9, which would have the Jazz as a 60-win team.
NBA top 5, wins lost due to injured players (Lost-ws metric, lost wins due to injured players)
— Man Games Lost NBA (@ManGamesLostNBA) April 12, 2018
1 UTA 12.9 wins lost
2 GSW 12.8
3 SAS 11.9
4 LAC 11.1
5 MEM 10.4
60 wins definitely seems like a stretch, but it stands to reason that this Jazz team could have finished comfortably as the three seed in the West if injuries had not intervened.
So, other than staying healthy, what’s it going to take for the Jazz to jump into that upper echelon of NBA teams?
The most pressing concern for the Jazz this offseason should be to target 3-point shooting. It became clear during the playoff loss to the Houston Rockets that they’re simply going to be outgunned by the top teams in the league. The next focus should be to find further depth at the wing position.
Given the defensive culture that the Utah Jazz have cultivated, it makes sense that they would target a high-end shooter, who can also be a plus on the defensive end. They don’t necessarily need a starter level player, but someone who can contribute off the bench.
Let’s take a look at a few of the best candidates!