Utah Jazz: 2018 free agent mini-camp is around the corner

The Utah Jazz’s annual free agent mini-camp has proved valuable in finding hidden gems and gathering player data. The 2018 edition is on the horizon.

When Royce O’Neale was suddenly playing very meaningful minutes for the Utah Jazz during their playoff push, “Where did they find this guy?” seemed an appropriate question to ask one’s self. After all, the path from Euro player to camp invitee to 15th man to key postseason cog is a road not often traveled.

But while it seemed as though O’Neale materialized spontaneously last year, his road to Utah actually began back in 2016. Two years ago this week, O’Neale was one of 30 players to participate in the team’s annual free agent mini-camp.

It took a while for the Jazz to reap what was sewn, but make no mistake about it — GM Dennis Lindsey struck gold that day. He’ll look to do so again in the coming days when the Jazz hold the 2018 edition of the camp.

O’Neale is undeniably the team’s greatest success story from the mini-camp. It’s also proof that the intel they gather on each participant has great value to the team, even when those players don’t immediately lock down a roster spot. Those players could become options — or opponents — down the line.

Grizzlies big man JaMychal Green, for example, was part of the mini-camp back in 2013, so the Jazz have firsthand data on him going back at least five years.

There’s not a lot of official information about this year’s camp at the moment. However, we do know two players that will be in attendance — Israeli baller Shawn Dawson and Greensboro Swarm big Luke Petrasik.

Dawson, a 6-foot-6 wing out of Israel, is the son of Southern Miss legend and two-time Honorable Mention All-American Joe Dawson, who eventually found a home playing in the Middle East. It was there that the 24-year-old grew up and honed his game.

He averaged 15.6 points, five boards and two assists for Bnei Herzelia last season and is a member of the Israeli senior national team. Dawson also spent time with the Washington Wizards’ 2016 summer league outfit and was a camp player for the New Orleans Pelicans later that year.

When he’s not doing those things, he crashes late-night TV shows —

Comedy gold.

Sportando’s Nicola Lupo was the first to report on Dawson attending Jazz mini-camp. Meanwhile, NBA scribe Clevis Murray had the Petrasek story.

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Petrasek, 22, is an Ivy Leaguer, having played four years at Columbia. He went on to sign a camp deal with the Charlotte Hornets last fall, making him the first Columbia player to attend an NBA training camp since Sean Couch did a tour with the Indiana Pacers in 1987.

Standing at 6-foot-10, Petrasek showed potential as a stretch big over 50 G-League games. He knocked down 35 percent of his 3.7 3-point attempts per contest. For the year, he averaged 6.4 points and 4.6 rebounds.

We’ll provide more info on the Jazz free agent mini-camp and its participants as it becomes available.