If the Utah Jazz want to take a leap this offseason, they should aim to bolster the point guard position. Doing so by way of trade may very well be their best option.
With the NBA Playoffs on the immediate horizon, it can be somewhat difficult to think too deeply about the upcoming offseason and what moves and transactions could take place. However, when remembering the inevitability that teams like the Utah Jazz face when going up against the stalwart Golden State Warriors that championship contending is just barely out of reach, one can’t help but wonder how their team could bulk up in the offseason.
For the Utah Jazz, an area where they could use some vast improvement is at the point guard position that has been a bit of an Achilles’ heel all season. Even when Utah has been healthy, Ricky Rubio has been inconsistent at best, Dante Exum has dealt with his same struggles as in years past and Raul Neto, though always a competitor, deals with some physical limitations.
Even with their shortcomings, the Jazz may have been OK at the point guard position had each of those players remained healthy. But such hasn’t been anywhere close to the case. Rubio and Neto have missed several games with various issues that keep surfacing. Dante Exum once again suffered an injury requiring surgery and is out indefinitely.
In other words, not only are the Jazz weak at point guard as it is, but in suffering so many injuries to those three, they’ve had an even harder time than usual keeping pace at that position. With such being the case, at no time has it been more clear than now – the Jazz have to bolster the point guard spot this summer.
How can they go about it? Well, free agency is certainly an appealing avenue. Adding the likes of Kemba Walker, D’Angelo Russell or even the less-heralded Malcolm Brogdon would be an incredible step forward for Utah. However, as nice as those options might be, the Jazz aren’t exactly known as a top free agent destination.
Therefore, Utah could be better served seeking a new point guard via trade rather than in free agency. If they do so, there are a number of intriguing options, but perhaps none so exciting as the trio that I’ve listed here.