Analyst urges Jazz to add 25-year-old sharpshooter, but could that work?

The Utah Jazz have a lot of cap space right now. They have $37 million in total that they could use on whatever they want. They will be more likely than not to spend it when it's all said and done, but they have to spend it wisely. It's one thing to add a free agent, but it's another to maintain cap flexibility in the process.

While most of the big fish in free agency have made their final decision, a few other quality veterans are still on the market. One of which is Gary Trent Jr. The 25-year-old wing has established himself as a scorer and sharpshooter, shooting 38.6% from three for his entire career. He's young, and he's proven himself, even if he's only seen the playoffs twice in his NBA career.

Does his youth and floor spacing give him enough appeal to the Jazz? ESPN's Chris Herring explained why he thinks the Jazz and Trent would be a good fit with one another in a July 8 story.

"He has shot nearly 39% from distance over the past five seasons while averaging better than one steal per game over that same span. And he has plenty of room to improve defensively too, if he learns to gamble less in passing lanes.

"For a team looking to tank -- or prioritize its young players -- the Jazz could do far worse than Trent, who is still just 25 years old and would immediately become one of the team's best shooting threats."

Outlining a potential Gary Trent Jr. contract in Utah

Trent is coming off a three-year, $52 million contract with the Raptors. If he's looking for a similar contract - per Sportsnet's Michael Grange, he wanted more - the Jazz can certainly offer that. With the cap space they have, they could offer Trent a similar deal to the one the Pacers gave Bruce Brown - two years and $45 million.

Such a contract gives Brown and his team flexibility. The Pacers used it to acquire Pascal Siakam, and the Raptors will likely use it to acquire an asset from Brown. If the Jazz do the same, they open themselves to either one of those outcomes.

At this point, the likelihood of Trent getting the same contract Toronto previously gave him is nil, but the Jazz can give him a nice payday, even if it's not a long one. Trent may want more long-term security than Utah would be willing to offer, but they can offer him a big role for interested parties and a bag to boot on top of it.

Outside of adding Drew Eubanks, the Jazz have largely done nothing in free agency. Because not much has happened, one can understandably question what their plans are. Trent isn't a game-changer, but should the Jazz add him as Herring suggests, it opens up a "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" situation.