Multiple injured players were re-evaluated for the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. While progress has likely been made, expect the team to continue to be shorthanded.
Since injuries forced him to take over as the Utah Jazz’s floor general last week, Donovan Mitchell has definitely done his part. He may not have been the perfect point guard 100 percent of the time, but he’s been dynamite as a baller overall, averaging 32 points, six assists and five rebounds per game. At times, he’s even shown the kind of vision and decision-making that could one day facilitate a full-time move to the position.
It’s a good thing, too — the Jazz look like they’ll continue to be without the whole of their regular point guard rotation for at least another week.
Donovan Mitchell has scored 25 points in 6 straight games, the first time that a Jazz player has done that since Karl Malone in 1999-00. pic.twitter.com/o1Obf0R4uf
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 15, 2019
Starter Ricky Rubio (hamstring) and back-ups Dante Exum (ankle) and Raul Neto (groin) all had their injuries re-evaluated on Tuesday. Elsewhere on the roster, forward Thabo Sefolosha (hamstring) was also re-evaluated.
The Jazz didn’t release any specifics on how each player is progressing, but they have revealed that all but Exum will undergo another round of evaluations next week. As for the Aussie, he’ll get checked out by team doctors in two weeks time.
Despite the fact that Mitchell has been flying high and the Jazz have won six of their last seven contests, these injuries are anything but good on multiple fronts.
The team’s depth has been severely crippled with difficult match-ups against the LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers looming. Also — the NBA Trade Deadline is just over three weeks away (February 7) and these injuries could be taking potential deals off the table for Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey.
There’s been no indication that any of the aforementioned are being shopped, but with Rubio on the final year of his contract and the Jazz still slightly behind schedule in the win column, it’s prudent to think that Lindsey and his brain trust would be exploring every avenue to potentially improve the roster.
At the least, Lindsey has lost a few chips to play with on the trade market and the Jazz will continue to be undermanned just as the playoff race begins to heat up.
Rubio is averaging of 13 points, six dimes and four boards per game in his second year in Jazzland.
Meanwhile, Exum’s extended timetable is especially disheartening.
After losing close to two full seasons to injury and battling inconsistency for much of his young career, the former No. 5 overall pick was just hitting his stride before getting hurt. In the five games preceding his injury, Exum was putting up 13 points and six assists per contest with 51-50-100 shooting splits.
Next up for the perpetually banged-up Jazz is a showdown with the LA Clippers on Wednesday.