First, it was Kelly Olynyk. Then, it was Svi Mykhailiuk. Now, the Utah Jazz have added yet another Boston Celtics alum to the roster in the Danny Ainge era. This time, though, it's a young player with enough talent to bring some intrigue.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Jazz have signed Jaden Springer to a 10-day contract.
Free agent guard Jaden Springer has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz, his agent Chad Speck told ESPN. Springer played in 26 games for the Celtics this season.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 19, 2025
Springer did not play much for the Celtics in the year he played for them, give or take. He played 43 games combined for them from 2024 to 2025. Even then, he hardly got any time when he played for them. At the same time, he played for a championship-winning team, much like his Celtics teammate Mykhailiuk did last year.
If the Jazz decide to keep Springer, he could be a diamond in the rough. He's young and has plenty of potential to be a cog in a rotation. When the Celtics gave him some legitimate minutes, he came through for them.
His defense is already excellent while the offense needs work. However, his performance against the Clippers that night showed that he's not hopeless on that side of the court. In fact, Springer's skillset and raw abilities seem reminiscent of another Jazz alum.
Springer could be the next Kris Dunn for the Jazz
Springer came to the Jazz pretty much in the exact same place Dunn did when he joined the Jazz in 2023. His NBA career was hanging by a thread, but upon a few weeks of impressive play, he was suddenly starting in the Jazz's backcourt.
He wasn't a long-term fixture because he was considerably older then than Springer is now. However, when it was all said and done, Dunn became the guard many teams wished they hadn't let slip through their fingers when he was right there for the taking.
Expecting Springer to turn into the Jazz's starting 2-guard when he only signed a 10-day contract is setting the bar a little high, but because of his youth, he could be more of a long-term fixture for the Jazz's rotation if it all works out.
Part of why it didn't in Boston had more to do with the fact that the Celtics wanted more win-now talent than developing a project. Even then, they primarily traded him because they wanted to cut costs.
Someone like Springer fits better on a team that's merely trying to make a winner whose youth needs some time in the oven before they're ready for the playoffs. The Jazz want that franchise-changing talent, and while Springer isn't that, he could be the complementary 3&D guard Utah could use for years to come.
However, expectations should be kept in check since it is a 10-day contract after all.