Free Agency has arrived, and the Utah Jazz have had a front seat to the craziness that happens every year. The sign-and-trade of Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers left a gaping hole in the Jazz's frontcourt.
Another year with Jusuf Nurkic as the starter raises questions about how seriously the Jazz will contend in a deep Western Conference.
The Jazz did reach an agreement with Jaxson Hayes later on Wednesday, which will help, but a depth chart of Nurkic - Hayes - Filipowski at center isn't going to keep up with the best centers in the Western Conference.
If Nurkic goes down for any length of time, the Jazz would be seriously hampered in their push to return to the playoffs and likely see a lottery trip for the fifth straight season.
So with that in mind, here are several players in free agency or via trade that the Jazz should consider acquiring to shore up the center rotation:
#5 - Kelly Olynyk, free agent
"The Klynyk" is a name well known to Jazz fans, as he played here from 2022 to 2024. He's been on three teams since, and his versatility as a four or five would be perfect for this Jazz team.
Olynyk's passing and skillset would only help this young Jazz team, and having a year of playing against Victor Wembanyama in practice could prove invaluable as the Jazz look to contend for the playoffs in the Western Conference.
#4 - Drew Eubanks, free agent
Eubanks is already familiar with Utah, having played here for roughly half of the 2024-25 season. He averaged 5.2 points and 3.7 boards with Sacramento last year and would likely slot in as the third center for the Jazz.
#3 - Andre Drummond, free agent
Drummond is a former All-Star who has proven to be a capable backup who can still start in a pinch, something the Jazz lacked a year ago. His leadership and defense would really bring juice to a Jazz team that needs depth in the paint.
His age (32) might be a concern, but Drummond has averaged 17.5 minutes a night over the past five seasons, while getting 7.3 points, 8.3 boards, and 0.7 blocks per night, mostly as a reserve. A similar role in Utah would suit him perfectly.
#2 - Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic (trade)
Bitadze isn't a free agent, but could be had for the right price. Orlando re-acquired Nikola Vucevic to be Wendell Carter Jr.'s backup, signaling that Bitadze won't have a big role in 2026-27.
The Jazz have several combinations of players that could get the deal done, each addressing different areas for Orlando - outside shooting, frontcourt depth, backcourt help, or expiring salary.
Filipowski would likely be the price for Bitadze, along with another player to make the money match. And while it would hurt to let Flip go, he's also likely to have a reduced role in the Jazz frontcourt this season, with Jaren Jackson Jr. likely to get some small-ball center minutes.
#1 - Nick Richards, free agent
Richards will be on his fourth NBA team if he moves on from Chicago this offseason. With the Bulls having acquired Nic Claxton and retained Zach Collins, it seems likely that Richards is the odd man out in the Windy City center rotation.
With a salary of just $5,000,000 in 2025-26, Richards would be an affordable option in Utah, one who has more starting experience than Jaxson Hayes and is younger than Jusuf Nurkic.
Richards could feasibly be a starter for Utah, allowing Jusuf Nurkic to be a valuable reserve. He would also keep Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. from having to log too many minutes at the five.
The Jazz need to work quickly to finalize their rotation before the market dries up this offseason. Let's hope they can get things together and find one more player to get them over the finish line.
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