The Utah Jazz just wrapped up a relatively weird season.
Heading into the year, they looked like they were on track to compete for one of the top lottery spots. Victor Wembanyama was often mocked to the Jazz, as were players such as Scoot Henderson and the Thompson twins.
But once the season began, it became clear that the general NBA world severely underrated the Jazz. They jumped out to an impressive start, with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler emerging as stars.
Now, heading into next year, they have an opportunity to capitalize on their success and turn what was expected to be a rebuilding team into a potential Play-In contender.
In order to do that, however, they need to be active in free agency and address some of the clear holes on their roster. One of those is the point guard position.
5 starting-caliber point guards to shore up the Utah Jazz roster
For most of the year, Mike Conley held it down at point guard for the Jazz. But at the trade deadline, they shipped him off to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team deal involving the Los Angeles Lakers.
Guys like Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson are able to handle the ball, as is Talen Horton-Tucker, but none of the three are necessarily starting-caliber point guards.
They’re definitely good enough to start, especially on a team like the Jazz, but they aren’t elite ballhandlers or floor generals.
It’s unlikely that the Jazz will be able to find somebody like that in free agency, but there will certainly be some starting-caliber point guards available to them who could help bolster the team’s depth and potentially take over the starting spot.
With a projected $41 million available to them in free agency this year, Utah will have some nice money to work with.
Here are five starting-caliber point guards the Jazz could target this summer.
5 starting-caliber point guards to shore up the Utah Jazz roster: Dennis Smith Jr.
This season was one of resurrection for Dennis Smith Jr., as after years of middling play and a lack of continuity, he finally found a home with the Charlotte Hornets.
Smith Jr. revitalized his career, appearing in 54 games with the Hornets. That’s the most games he’s played since his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks in 2017-18.
Since that point, he played for four more teams before finally landing with the Hornets ahead of this year. And with all of the injuries Charlotte dealt with, he earned ample opportunities.
He played 25.7 minutes per game, his most since his sophomore season, and started 15 games. Smith Jr. averaged 8.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 41.2% from the field and 21.6% from behind the three-point line.
At this point, Smith Jr. may not be the best starting-caliber option available to the Jazz, but at just 25 years old, he’s easily one of the most intriguing, as he still has plenty of room to grow.
If given the right opportunities in the right system with talented players around him, he could show off the potential that led to the Mavericks picking him ninth overall in 2017.
5 starting-caliber point guards to shore up the Utah Jazz roster: Coby White
Regarding realistic possibilities, this may be a bit far down the list, but it is still an option worth considering for the Utah Jazz, as they are in the midst of a retooling process.
Coby White will be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Chicago Bulls can match any offer he receives. And if they enter a rebuild, which many believe they should, he could be a core piece of that project.
However, that doesn’t mean the Jazz shouldn’t take a look at White and make him an offer. At worst, the Bulls match it, but if, for some reason, they choose not to, the Jazz would have a young starter to add to their core.
At just 23 years old, White will be entering his fifth NBA season next year, and from the way things have panned out in Chicago, his development hasn’t been a priority in recent years.
With the addition of players such as Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Ayo Dosunmu, the ball has been taken out of White’s hands more, and his minutes have decreased in each season since his sophomore year back in 2020–21.
That being said, White showed some serious potential in the second half of this season. Post-All-Star break, he averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 49.0% from the floor and 41.3% from beyond the arc.
If the Jazz give him the reins of the offense, there’s a chance he finally breaks out and shows his true potential, as he was picked seventh overall just five years ago. Plus, he’s a former teammate of Lauri Markkanen, so there’s a connection there.
5 starting-caliber point guards to shore up the Utah Jazz roster: Gabe Vincent
As far as notable names go, some Utah Jazz fans may not be super familiar with Gabe Vincent, but he might actually be one of the most interesting options on this list.
Vincent is one of the Miami Heat’s undrafted projects, as they’ve become elite at developing talent out of nowhere. He’s become a quality rotational piece for Miami and still has room to grow.
He’ll be 27 years old by the time next season begins, so he’s as old as some NBA veterans, but it will only be his fifth season in the NBA. If Utah gave him their starting job, there’s no telling how good he could be.
During Miami’s miracle playoff run this season, he’s taken on a huge role. This includes a massive string of three-straight 20+ point games from Game 5 in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks through the first two games of Miami’s second-round series against the New York Knicks.
The point guard has made big shots on countless occasions for the Heat and is unafraid of taking them, which is even more important. He’s started in every single Heat playoff game, too.
Miami will likely look to bring him back, but with both him and Max Strus needing contract extensions, they have some tough decisions to make.
Both players will be unrestricted free agents, and the Jazz could capitalize on that and look to target Vincent for their open starting point guard position.
5 starting-caliber point guards to shore up the Utah Jazz roster: Jevon Carter
Out of all the options on this list, Jevon Carter is the most borderline one when it comes to being “starting-caliber,” as in his five NBA seasons, he has only started in 48 games. However, 39 of those games were last season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
In fact, last year was his most productive season, as he carved out a serious role with the top seed in the Eastern Conference, logging 22.3 minutes per contest in 81 appearances—both career-highs.
He’ll be 28 years old heading into next year, making him a solid veteran option to lead Utah’s offense, especially with the improvements he’s made on the offensive end.
Carter has turned himself into a reliable three-point threat, a huge development for him. He shot 42.1% from distance on 4.2 attempts per game last season.
As for his starts, he was solid when he got the opportunity. In his 39 starts, Carter averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, shooting 43.9% from the field and 42.6% from deep.
Plus, on top of that, Carter has made a name for himself as one of the best defensive guards in the league. That’s been his M.O. ever since his days in college at West Virginia.
Again, he may not be the most flashy name on this list, but if given the chance, Carter could be a quality starting option for the Jazz next season.
5 starting-caliber point guards to shore up the Utah Jazz roster: Fred VanVleet
By far the biggest name on this list, if the Utah Jazz were to make a run at Fred VanVleet, it would undoubtedly be a huge surprise to the rest of the league.
It seems likely that the Toronto Raptors will make an attempt to bring VanVleet back on board, but if they choose to hit the reset button, it may make more sense for them to let him walk in free agency.
He has a player option, but he’s widely expected to decline it and look for a larger payday. If the Jazz choose to give it to him, it would signal their hopes of making a real playoff push.
Adding him would create a potential starting lineup of VanVleet, Ochai Agbaji, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, and Walker Kessler. If Agbaji and Kessler take the next steps in their development, that could be a dangerous five.
Not only would it be an extremely lengthy lineup, but the defensive prowess of Agbaji on the perimeter and Kessler inside would help make up for VanVleet’s deficiencies on that end.
Again, signing VanVleet would mean the Jazz are serious about playoff contention, and that may not be likely, but with the talent they have on the roster, it should not be ruled out as a possibility.