The Utah Jazz are one of the teams that could have interest in former New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas. Seen by some as having the fourth-best odds to land the former Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors center, the Utah Jazz are in a unique space where Valanciunas both makes and doesn't make sense.
The 13-year vet is 32 years old and has been one of the better offensive bigs in the last six seasons, averaging 15.5 points,10.9 rebounds, and about two assists per game, Valancinuas has shown to be a very capable and worthwhile center to pursue for many NBA teams. The problem for the Jazz is that they have a center they're hoping turns into "the guy" with Walker Kessler. After a really uneven second year, the future status fo Kessler with the Jazz remains as murky as anyone.
The Jazz could easily draft someone like Donovan Clingan if he falls to No. 10 overall, or they could trade John Collins, who was the team's starting center, and give the reigns to Kessler. They could also just sign someone like Valanciunas as well.
There's merit to that idea, as he's a great compliment for the likes of Lauri Markkanen, and has shown to be a more natural three-point shooter than Kessler. Not to mention, while not a great defender, Valanciunas is a solid defender, far more capable than Collins, but not as good as Kessler. Yet, offensively, he's not as good as Collins but far better than Kessler.
There are reasons to bring him in, and if he's got the right price tag, the Utah Jazz should absolutely bring him in if they are serious about competing for the title. That said, he'll likely demand a figure that makes his signing impractical. He's good enough to be brought in, but with his age and the position of the Jazz currently, he doesn't make great sense.
If the Jazz can land Devin Booker and or Paul George, and Valancinuas is asking for under $20 million a season, it could make sense to go after him. He'll likely demand more, and as he's not so talented that he can take a mediocre team to the NBA finals, there's no reason to overpay for him. Especially when you have Collins and Kessler already on the roster.