Utah Jazz: One bold prediction for every player on the roster

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MAY 6: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz arrives before the game against the Houston Rockets during Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2018 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Derrick Favors will become a corner three threat

Derrick Favors has been a perfect example of a selfless basketball player that’s willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. As the league has transformed and as Rudy Gobert has emerged for the Jazz, he’s modified his game so he can remain as effective as possible.

One aspect he worked on adding to his game last year was a 3-point shot. He wasn’t exactly amazing at it, in fact, he was pretty bad, converting on just 22.2 percent of his deep-ball attempts. However, knowing Favors’ work ethic, I predict it’s something he’s going to work on and improve dramatically for this upcoming season. So much so, that I predict he’ll at least become a respectable corner-three threat in 2018-19.

Now, I’m not saying he’ll start draining threes with the league’s elite by any stretch of the imagination. But even if Favors gets up into the low 30s on corner threes, that will be enough to make him enough of a threat that opponents will have to respect his shot.

It’s not unprecedented for modern big men to take massive leaps in their 3-point shooting percentage. One of my favorite examples is Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies. He went from averaging 0.1 deep-ball attempts per game in 2015-16, to becoming a dangerous 38.8 percent perimeter shooter in 2016-17 on 3.6 attempts per game.

I doubt Favors will reach those marks, and he won’t be taking above the break threes with any sort of regularity. But watch for his corner three efficiency to be right around 32 percent, which will be a sneaky important weapon for the Jazz offense.

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