Pre-Draft Outlook
For a team that could use an infusion of youth or a bright prospect, the Jazz will go into the offseason without the primary tool to obtain such a player. There are no picks at the disposal of Danny Ainge, who’ll begin his first summer in charge of the club, but that doesn’t mean the Jazz can’t or won’t try to swing a Draft-day trade to obtain one. All eyes are on what the Jazz decide to do with All-Stars Rudy Gobert and/or Donovan Mitchell if Ainge and owner Ryan Smith feel a breakup of the duo is necessary to move forward. If so, Utah will almost certainly get at least one pick, and perhaps more, in any package featuring either player.
A Stat That Matters
60% — For the second straight season, the Jazz led the league in the percentage of their shots that came from 3-point range, with 46.8% of their field goal attempts coming from beyond the arc. But, according to Second Spectrum tracking, only 60% of their 3-point attempts were off the catch. That was the league’s lowest rate.
The Way To Go
If Utah gets a pick on or before Draft day, the Jazz might look to find the successor to Mike Conley, who began to show wear last season. There is no young point guard on the team other than Conley’s understudy last season, Trent Forrest. Also, because Utah’s perimeter defense was exposed during the playoffs, a defensive-minded swingman would help vastly. Or the Jazz could look to find a player who brings more of a low-post scoring option than Gobert. Again, because the Jazz don’t have a pick, you can’t identity any potential players. But those are the most likely candidates.
Under Contract
G: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
G: Jared Butler
G: Jordan Clarkson
G: Mike Conley
G: Donovan Mitchell
F/G: Rudy Gay
F: Bojan Bogdanovic
F: Juancho Hernangomez
F: Royce O’Neale
F: Xavier Sneed
C/F: Udoka Azubuike
C: Rudy Gobert
Free Agents
G: Trent Forrest (restricted)
F/G: Danuel House Jr. (unrestricted)
F: Eric Paschall (restricted)
C: Hassan Whiteside (unrestricted)
> 2022 Free Agent Tracker
Last Year’s Draft
2021: Santi Aldama (30)**, Jared Butler (40)*
* = acquired via trade
** = traded in draft-night deal
— Shaun Powell