Utah Jazz: 5 best free agent signings in franchise history
Clocking in as the best free agency signing in Utah Jazz history is Mehmet Okur teammate Carlos Boozer. This era of Jazz basketball was defined by poaching elite second-round draft selections after the completion of their rookie contracts, and turning them into stars. It’s a bold, difficult-to-replicate organizational strategy, but it certainly worked in the mid 00s.
Unlike his Turkish teammate, Boozer was a throwback, low-block menace in Salt Lake City (although he was equipped with a reliable midrange jump shot). He averaged 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in his first season with the team in 2004-05, and never looked back.
His best individual season as a Jazzman would come in 2006-07, when he posted averages of 20.9 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. His advanced stats were even more impressive, with a 24.1 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and 4.3 VORP. For context, those figures would have ranked 17th and 6th in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Boozer was an All-Star for the Utah Jazz that season, as well as the following one. Furthermore, his individual accomplishments translated into team success. In particular, 2006-07 was one of the finest seasons in Utah Jazz history, as the team finished with a 51-31 record and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
Next. Predicting stats for every Jazz starter in 2020-21. dark
It’s safe to assume that Salt Lake City will never be a premier destination for top NBA free agents. It is not exactly a celebrity hotspot or fashion hub. However, even without one of the league’s most glamorous markets, it also feels safe to assume that the Utah Jazz will continue to be successful; especially if they can make more under-the-radar free agent signings like these five.