Utah Jazz: Naz Mitrou-Long Staking Claim For NBA Roster Spot
Naz Mitrou-Long’s play at the Utah Jazz Summer League has turned some heads and he’s shown great strides from years past. These performances could bode well for the Iowa State product as he vies for an NBA roster spot.
With the spotlight being shone in the direction of high-end draft picks Trae Young and Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah’s Naz Mitrou-Long flew under the radar and had one of the more impressive Summer League campaigns of all involved.
In 20.3 minutes per game of Summer League action, Naz averaged 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals. He shot 12-of-18 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point land in the process.
More from Jazz News
- 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
Ennobled by a year of invaluable NBA experience, San Antonio’s Derrick White was undoubtedly the best performer at the Utah Jazz Summer League on the back of three tremendous outings. Meanwhile, with most the attention on White’s stellar display and Trae Young’s shooting woes, Naz quietly showed that he belongs on an NBA roster.
Although Naz was handily one of the best performers at the Utah Jazz Summer League, his game, perhaps unlike White’s, is best suited to a complementary role, even at sub-NBA level. Meaning, although White’s Summer League performances may have been superior, Naz’s game could still carry over to the NBA just as seamlessly.
Turnovers showed to be the biggest weakness in Mitrou-Long’s game, presumably due to being asked to take on the majority of the ball handling responsibilities. Nevertheless, he’s a proven shooter that has demonstrated the newly-formed ability to finish at the rim in traffic. His decision-making on offense and passing vision are outstanding, but his inability to handle the ball with pressure will likely prohibit him from being a point guard in the NBA.
Even still, in the game that Grayson Allen sat out due to rest where Naz was the primary ball-handler for the majority of the game, he had his best outing for the Summer League. In this particular game, Naz looked like the best player on the court he shared with fourth overall selection Jaren Jackson Jr, as well as Wayne Selden and Kobi Simmons, who both have a wealth of NBA experience in comparison to Naz.
Many may be surprised to find out that Mitrou-Long had a 37-point game for the Salt Lake City Stars just a few months ago. So hopefully in the Las Vegas Summer League we see Naz take out his do-it-yourself kit and showcase his entire offensive repertoire.
Next: Derrick Favors makes it clear – a Utah Jazz championship is his goal
Be sure to keep an eye out for Naz in Las Vegas as he looks to continue his impressive play and stake his claim for an NBA roster spot.
Statistics courtesy of NBA.com.