For the second installment of our five-part free agency series, here’s a look at five free agent shooting guards that the Utah Jazz could consider this offseason.
With the 2018 NBA Draft just days away, the Utah Jazz‘s offseason is suddenly ramping up in a major way. And while the Jazz will likely look to the best available prospect on their draft board when they’re on the clock at No. 21, the team has a handful of very specific needs on their roster.
Perhaps the biggest need is for the Jazz to find a starting power forward. Be it Derrick Favors or a stretch option on the open market, it would behoove the team to identify a solution this summer. However, the lack of shooting/scoring punch off the bench from a two-guard or wing player also stands out as something GM Dennis Lindsey should look to address.
That’s where we’ll focus our efforts today.
Alec Burks may have come alive in the second round of the playoffs, but he’s likely not a long-term play for the job. Instead, Lindsey could look to free agency, where a general lack of money around the league could enable the Jazz to fill the role without breaking the bank.
So, for the second installment of our five-part free agency series, I’m looking at five free agent shooting guards that could be options for the Jazz. Specifically, I’m talking players that can hold down the fort in relief of Donovan Mitchell or even share the floor with him when he slides down to the point.
- See also: Five free agent options at point guard
Before we begin, let me tell you up front that I’ve left JJ Redick off the list. Without question, he’s a player worth exploring and an elite shooter in the league. That said, his potential price tag and advancing age take him out of the running a bit for me.
If the Jazz could get him on a discounted deal for not too many years, you do it all day long. That doesn’t seem too likely to me, however.
Regardless, there are litany of other candidates who could be had. Here are five of them…
Next: Marco Belinelli
Marco Belinelli
Speaking of Redick, there’s a chance the Philadelphia 76ers will let him walk this summer. He may have just had career year for them, but retaining his services could be problematic. As with the Jazz, age and price tag are the big considerations for Philly there. Another is the late-season performance of Marco Belinelli.
After getting waived by the Atlanta Hawks around the trade deadline, Belinelli joined the Sixers and was a key cog in their charge toward the postseason. In 28 games with the club, he averaged 13.6 points per contest and knocked down 38.5 percent of his 3-point shots.
Those aren’t Redick numbers, but they’re pretty darn good. And Belinelli could probably be had for a fraction of the price.
One could question his shot selection; he’s trigger happy at the best of times. Belinelli is also pretty rough defensively, having posted a negative defensive plus/minus each and every year he’s been in the league. That said, the presence of Rudy Gobert in the middle, as well as high-level perimeter defenders like Royce O’Neale, could compensate for his shortcomings.
The Sixers allowed just 100.6 points per 100 possessions with Belinelli on the floor following a similar formula with the likes of Joel Embiid, Robert Covington and Ben Simmons.
In any case, Belinelli has a wealth of playoff experience, is adept at getting himself in position to punish the opposition from deep and can heat up in an instant.
Next: Wayne Ellington
Wayne Ellington
As much as the Utah Jazz hang their hat on defense, shooting continues to be at a premium in their bid to improve. In that regard, there may be no better option than The Man with the Golden Arm, Wayne Ellington.
Ellington set a new record for 3-pointers made by a reserve player last season, connecting on 227 triples for the year. He did so by becoming almost exclusively a 3-point shooter, taking an incredible 83 percent of his shots from distance for an average of 7.5 attempts per game.
Despite the massive uptick, he continued to flirt with a 40 percent success rate. He was deadly in both corners, but knocked down 37 percent of his threes above the break where he does most of his work (and where the Jazz could really use some help).
Bottom line — his gravity at the 3-point line puts him in rarefied air. And Ellington could put up similar numbers in Quin Snyder’s system.
The bugaboo on Ellington has always been his defense, but the energy is usually there. And he’s definitely shown signs of improvement with the Miami Heat over the last few years. His defensive win shares and defensive box plus/minus have both improved every year since the 2014-15 campaign.
Overall, the Heat allowed just 103.9 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, which is at least respectable.
After years of bouncing around the league, Ellington seemingly found a home in Miami. However, the Heat are facing luxury tax problems and keeping him in South Beach will be a challenge. That could give the Jazz an opportunity to swoop in and secure his services.
Next: Joe Harris
Joe Harris
Joe Harris has been a popular name in the Jazz free agency discussion among J-Notes staffers and for good reason. After two ho-hum years out of the gate, he developed into one of the league’s more versatile sharpshooters over two years with the Brooklyn Nets.
Harris is fresh off of what was unquestionably a breakout season. He averaged a cool 10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds while knocking down 41 percent of his 4.6 3-points attempts per game in ’17-18.
At 26, he’s the perfect age to join the young Jazz. He’s got the skillset to match, too, having diversified his game beyond standing and shooting. The lion’s share of his offense still came off the action of others (nearly 80 percent of his field goals were assisted last season), but he’s shown a burgeoning ability to attack the basket.
Per NBA.com’s player tracking, Harris led the league in field goal percentage on drives. His 62.7 percent just edged out LeBron James (60.3) in that department.
Harris has also begun to throw his 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame around with physicality on the defensive end. He’s far from a defensive wunderkind, but he gives effort and has the size and strength to cover multiple positions on the floor, at least in theory.
More than anything, Harris feels like a Jazzman; Matt Harpring version 2.0. An unselfish, no-nonsense, hard-working player with a penchant for knocking down shots. And he could probably be had for a reasonable price, although he’ll have his fair share of suitors.
Also — he played football in high school, a fact we could all look forward to hearing Craig Bolerjack regurgitate nightly a la Harpring.
Next: Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans is arguably the most versatile offensive talent on this list. His combination of size, strength and handles in the half court is unique. But he shines most in transition, where he continues to be one of the best in the business.
He’s also become a bona fide deep threat over the last three seasons. Since 2015-16, he’s steadily increased his 3-point rate (to a career high of 5.5 per game last season) and knocked down nearly 39 percent of those attempts.
That is big time, my friends.
More from The J-Notes
- With the FIBA World Cup over for Simone Fontecchio, it’s clear he deserves minutes for the Utah Jazz
- Best, Worst and Most likely scenarios for the Utah Jazz this season
- Hoops Hype downplays the significance of the Utah Jazz’s valuable assets
- 3 Utah Jazz players who have the most to gain or lose this season
- Former Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay is a free agent still and it shouldn’t surprise anyone
He may never match the output of his Rookie of the Year campaign with the Sacramento Kings, but he came pretty close in his stint with the Memphis Grizzlies last season. Over 52 games with the Grizz, Evans averaged 19.4 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest.
The key number there, though, is 52. As has been the case throughout his career, Evans missed significant time last season due to injury. Over the last three years, he’s appeared in just 117 of 246 possible games. That’s an attendance rate of 48 percent, which could be a red flag for a Jazz squad that has also struggled to stay fully healthy.
Regardless, at 29 years old, Evans still has a lot of game left in him if he can stay on the floor. And while his on-court production probably warrants a big payday, there’s a chance he could be had for the mid-level exception — which would pay him just over $8.5 million per annum — by the right team.
Next: Will Barton
Will Barton
Once again, if Utah acquires a two-guard this summer, it’ll be in the hopes that they’ll be a scoring threat off the bench. And since he joined the Denver Nuggets at the trade deadline in 2015, Will Barton has been one of the league’s legit second-unit stars.
When he’s hot, he alters the course of a game like a young Jamal Crawford, scoring from everywhere on the floor.
The 2017-18 season was Barton’s best year yet. As ever, he was strong off the bench, but thanks to Denver’s year-long battle with injuries, he also started in 40 games. As a result, Barton put up a career-best 15.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. He also grabbed five boards every night and hit on 37 percent of his 3-point shots.
Therein lies the problem. Barton’s big goal recently has been to lock down a full-time starting role. He sees himself as having reached a certain place in the NBA hierarchy and wants the respect and the role to match that stature.
The 27-year-old has spoken to that effect time and time again. In April, he told ESPN’s Chris Haynes “I’m a starter. No doubt about it. No question in my mind.” Clearly, he wants more, whereas the Jazz would want more of the same offensively.
Still, if Barton could become comfortable with the idea of being a sixth man who closes a lot of games, he could be a major weapon off of the Jazz bench. He could carry the reserve squad offensively in relief of Donovan Mitchell, or even pair with him in certain lineups.
Related Story: Utah Jazz 2018 offseason calendar and key dates
Barton’s activity level defensively often leaves something to be desired. He can be a ball-stopper at times offensively as well. On the flipside, he changes games with his scoring, can get you a bucket when you need one and is an underrated playmaker.