The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz trade deadline 2019: Five potential point guard targets

By Ryan Aston

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 22: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket around Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz in the first half of a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 22, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 22: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket around Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz in the first half of a NBA game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 22, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /
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Darren Collison Indiana Pacers
MEMPHIS, TN – JANUARY 26: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies and Darren Collison #2 of the Indiana Pacers hug after the game on January 26, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Darren Collison

Like Lin, Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, but he would be an upgrade over Rubio to close the year out. And with Victor Oladipo injured and the Pacers temporarily dismissed as a contender in the East, now may be the time for Indy to try to get something for his expiring deal.

For my money, Collison is one of the most underrated point-men in the NBA. Even this season, with less minutes and the lowest usage rate of his career, he’s putting up 10 points, six assists and 1.5 steals per contest with a 46-40-82 shooting line.

He’s the antithesis of Rubio offensively — a deadly catch-and-shoot player who he led the Association in 3-point shooting (46.8 percent) last season and had the fourth-highest individual offensive rating league-wide. Among all backcourt players, he ranks 22nd in NBA Math’s total points added (TPA) stat at just over 27.

For the record, Rubio checks in at No. 109 with a TPA score of minus-13.

If you can get a shooter and scorer like Collison without sacrificing the ability to also make plays for others, that’s a win. He may be a player you can bring back on a short-term, team-friendly deal in the summer as well, which would leave some money for the Jazz to go out and get the playmaking big man they covet.

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