Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors set to ink two-year deal with Utah
By John Keeffer
The Utah Jazz and unrestricted free agent Derrick Favors have agreed to a deal to keep the power forward in Salt Lake City.
It looks like the Utah Jazz are going to be keeping the band together.
According to reports, Derrick Favors and the Jazz have agreed to terms on a two-year, $36 million deal, allowing the free agent big man to remain in Utah.
Free agent Derrick Favors has agreed to a two-year, $36M-plus deal with the Utah Jazz, agent Wallace Prather tells Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2018
After the Jazz lost to the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2018 NBA playoffs, the focus in Jazzland immediately shifted to the offseason and Favors’ looming decision. Many have debated on whether or not he is the best fit next Rudy Gobert, and if the Jazz should move towards a more modern-day stretch four to pair next to Gobert.
Utah made it clear early on, however, that keeping Favors and Dante Exum was going to be the top priority. The team coudl also look to re-up with restricted free agent Raul Neto.
Per a report by Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz met with Favors in Atlanta for three hours on Sunday to make their pitch and express their interest in bringing the 26-year-old power forward back.
The meeting must have gone well, since news broke less than 24 hours later that he would remain with the Jazz. The details of the contract are still coming out, but it has been reported that it will be a two-year, $36 million contract, with the first year being worth $16 million guaranteed, and the second year total being non-guaranteed.
Looks like (based on @tribjazz reporting) is that Favors took a higher average annual value in order for the Jazz to get the non-guaranteed second year.
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) July 2, 2018
“I’m really excited,” Mitchell said in an interview with Deseret News. “That’s big time. I’m really proud of him.”
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For the first time in two seasons, Favors was completely healthy last season, and responded by averaging 12.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 77 starts. With the emergence of Gobert, Favors has taken on the role of starting at the power forward, while primarily spending his time as the backup center. That versatility proved extremely valuable for the Jazz.
The signing really shows the commitment that Favors has to this organization and to winning. He is just two years removed from back-to-back seasons of averaging 16 points and eight rebounds per game.
Favors has also been willing to sacrifice his own stats and minutes for the betterment of the team, and was an integral part of Utah’s 48-win performance last season.
Jazz Nation is happy to have you back in the fold D-Faves!