Utah Jazz: Ranking the 10 projected rotation pieces

8. Utah Jazz guard Joe Ingles

Fans pretty much already know what to expect from eighth-year Utah Jazz gem Joe Ingles. First and foremost, the 6-foot-8, 220-pound lefty is sure to splash from downtown. After all, he set a career-high last go-round and wound up No. 5 in the NBA with his 45.1 shooting percentage beyond the arc.

Also, as a fill-in point guard, Ingles has twice finished among the top 20 in the league in total assists, showing time and again that his strategic handles and zip-line passes outweigh his minimal athleticism as a creator.

At the other end of the floor, though, Ingles has often been a liability. And the 33-year-old “Slow-Mo Joe” isn’t likely to magically boost his speed, hops, or general know-how as a defender.

Now, with plenty of promising options at their disposal in the backcourt, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Quin Snyder and his gang turn to Ingles a bit less often than in years past. Perhaps a noticeable decrease in minutes — he’s averaged 27 or more across the past four seasons — would keep Ingles from playing with jelly limbs on defense.

But Ingles is a veteran treasure in Salt Lake City, a smooth scorer who can quickly calm a storm with a few flicks of the wrist from deep in combination with his miraculous nifty scoops in the lane.

All in all, even if Ingles’ on-court contributions start to decrease a smidge as a Jazz elder, the recent Aussie bronze medalist ought to be an immense help in molding his up-and-comer understudies.

Projected playing time for Joe Ingles: 21 minutes per game