After going without any picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, undrafted free agent signing Johnny Juzang might be the only new player to the Utah Jazz by the start of next season. The three-and-D player stood out at UCLA in the 2021 March Madness Tournament and is expected to make the roster by the end of the season.
Thank you Jazz for the opportunity ! Earned all my life let’s do it again . https://t.co/LxxVirHx50
— Johnny Juzang (@JohnnyJuzang) June 24, 2022
Juzang was signed to a two-way deal, so he might spend time with the Salt Lake Stars. While he was a low-cost and low-risk signing for the franchise, he should be a big piece on the upcoming Summer League roster.
During the four Summer League games, Juzang will have to go up against third-overall pick Chet Holmgren, as well as Jaden Springer. Those will be no easy matchups, which means it should show fans what to expect when the real season starts. If Juzang goes cold from behind the arc in Summer League play it could spell doom for his NBA aspirations. If he hits his shots, rebounds well, and plays the elite defense we saw in college, he could have a real chance.
When the Jazz face off against the Thunder this summer, all eyes will rightfully be on Chet Holmgren. Juzang may fly under the radar, and expect Holmgren to outperform him. Don’t let that bring you down, though.
As long as Juzang looks competitive with the big-name rookies and can play well against the players who only get minutes in the summer, he could have a bright future ahead of himself. As Bojan Bogdanovic ages, Juzang is the obvious replacement as a sharpshooting wing who can catch and shoot. His defense is better than Bogdanovic’s, and as Utah might head towards a semi-rebuild, introducing youth should be a good thing.
At the end of the day, Juzang may flounder in the G-League, but keeping in mind that he went undrafted after being projected to the first round in 2021, the Jazz got a steal.