The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: Three reasons for and against keeping Derrick Favors

By Jared Woodcox

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 17: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz speaks to the media after Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets on April 17, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 17: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz speaks to the media after Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets on April 17, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MARCH 16: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz warms up before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 16, 2019 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. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MARCH 16: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz warms up before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 16, 2019 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. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

Derrick Favors taking up cap and serving as a valuable trade piece

Last of all, if the Jazz want to make upgrades in either free agency or the trade market this year (which most assuredly should be the case), then they’re going to have to make some tough decisions about their roster. If they’re able to lure in a big-name free agent, then unfortunately it’s quite likely that Favors’ $16.9 million salary will have to come off the books to make space.

With a team option on the final year of Derrick’s contract, the Jazz have ample flexibility on how they proceed with him. If they want to keep him, he’s theirs. If they need to clear cap space, he can be let go in the blink of an eye.

That’s a tough position for Favors to be in, but it could be helpful for the Jazz as they explore free agency. And if you can get a guy like Kemba Walker or Tobias Harris, it’s hard to argue against letting Favors go to clear the necessary cap space.

Even if the free agent pool runs dry as it so often does for the small market Utah Jazz, they’ll have other options to turn to in order to upgrade their roster. First and foremost will be the trade market. At the trade deadline, the Jazz had several intriguing expiring contracts that they could deal such as that of Ricky Rubio, Thabo Sefolosha and Ekpe Udoh. Now, with each of those three becoming free agents, the Jazz can’t use them in any trades, which will severely hurt their outgoing value.

Therefore, Derrick Favors expiring contract as well as his skill as one of the best players on the Jazz squad suddenly make him one of the most appealing trade assets Utah has. There’s already speculation that the Jazz could go hard after Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies and it’s hard to see that getting done now without including Derrick Favors. Favors wouldn’t have had to be included at the deadline, but now with Rubio and others out of the mix, Derrick’s contract will likely be needed.

In summary, the Jazz have to improve somehow, and realistically, regardless of if they bring in a point guard, power forward or any other position they manage to wrangle for that matter, it looks very much probable that Derrick’s salary will have to be removed off the books to make it happen. Painful though it is to say, it’s hard to see Utah having the flexibility to add the talent they crave without sacrificing the skill and exceptional play of Derrick Favors in return.

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