Utah Jazz: Who will and won’t be back next season?

Derrick Favors

There have been so many times throughout Derrick Favors’ tenure with the Utah Jazz that I believed him long gone, including several trade deadlines and at free agency. Nevertheless, he has remained with the team and the team has stayed true to him.

Though he’s accepted a role that’s well below what he’s capable of, he’s in a situation that he loves on a team where he’s played a crucial part albeit in less minutes than he might deserve.

Once again this summer, I’m tempted to say that the Jazz may finally opt to part ways with Favors. After all, his contract isn’t guaranteed if Utah needs to clear space, or he’d also be an ideal trade piece for a team looking for an incredible talent and value.

Nevertheless, based on comments from Favors and Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey, who called Favors a ‘part of the solution’ despite many wondering about his perceived awkward fit next to fellow twin tower Rudy Gobert, I have a hunch he will remain in Salt Lake City yet again. Lindsey’s comments on Favors are also what lead me to believe that Rubio has played his last contest as a member of the Jazz, since if Favors isn’t a main one viewed as the problem, there’s little doubt where else that problem could lie.

Despite questions about starting him next to Gobert, Favors has come up big for the Jazz on several occasions, especially in the playoffs where he’s been the hero of many contests the past three seasons. He allows flexibility for the Jazz at the four and five as he can help defend big lineups as a power forward and defend smaller lineups at the center.

In some occasions, as we saw clearly in Game 4 against the Houston Rockets this season, Favors is far and above the better fit over Gobert. He’s more than just a backup center, he’s a starting-caliber force that the Jazz rely on for defense, rebounding (especially on the offensive end), hustle and frontcourt scoring. His offensive repertoire is also much more expansive than Rudy’s which at times is something Utah desperately needs.

It would be quite ironic if the one time I change my tune and presume that Favors is going to stay ends up being the time he’s finally dealt or let go. And, to be frank, depending how the offseason plays out, that could turn out to be exactly the case. The Jazz have to make changes if they want to advance. And if those changes require moving on from Derrick Favors, the Jazz could very well have their hand forced to take that risk.

Nevertheless, I’m still feeling quite confident that Favors will actually be retained once all is said and done. He’s been much more vital than he’s given credit for and his questionable fit with Gobert could be potentially completely mitigated if the Jazz add just one more player, particularly a point guard, who can space the floor and create with the ball in his hands.

It’s far from conceivable that the Jazz could land enough star power in free agency to push both Rubio and Favors out, so barring a trade, I believe it’s most likely that Utah’s additions this summer will be enough to push Ricky out, but that it will be the right combo to allow Favors to stay.

Verdict: Very well could be gone, but predicting him to stay

Favors is likely the hardest to predict of all, and I could be dead wrong on my belief that the Jazz keep him. In fact, depending on what opportunities arise and how aggressive Dennis Lindsey gets this summer, any or all of these predictions could be far from correct.

However, to recap, I believe we’ll likely see the Jazz roster comprise of Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors, Dante Exum, Jae Crowder, Grayson Allen, Georges Niang and Royce O’Neale while parting ways with Naz Mitrou-Long, Tyler Cavanaugh, Tony Bradley, Raul Neto, Ekpe Udoh, Thabo Sefolosha, Kyle Korver and Ricky Rubio. Of that group, I could see Crowder, Allen, Ingles, Niang and possibly Favors as most probable trade options, but I’m not expecting them gone.

Feel free to keep score on my predictions all summer long.