The 2017-2018 season for the Utah Jazz was like a test of 82 games to build a solid team foundation. They lost Gordon Hayward and George Hill last offseason, but got Ricky Rubio and re-signed Ingles. Both of them became players this season. is an important part of Snyder's system. They also found the hidden gem Donovan Mitchell in the draft of . He also became the Jazz's most reliable offensive option in his rookie season. With these three people plus Defensive Player of the Year candidate Gobert , the Jazz relied on this lineup to achieve 48 wins and the fifth record in the Western Conference. They also won the Thunder in the first round against the star-studded team. contest between. Considering they only started the season with 19 wins and 28 losses, the final result was a miracle.
Snyder and general manager Dennis Lindsey saved a season that should have been a rebuild from scratch into one of the most promising and promising in recent years. Although the Jazz still lost to the superb Houston Rockets, who defeated the Jazz 112-102 in Game 5, the Jazz's stunning season pointed out the way forward for the team, and more importantly, they have a A potential superstar that you can build a team around.
Gobert and Mitchell have been regarded as the cornerstones of Utah's future team, and the Jazz have now become the second-tier team in the West. In addition to a few absolute elite teams in NBA, Utah already has enough strength to compete with other teams. How the team is built around young players will determine the Jazz's ceiling, and the Jazz will need a reliable third or fourth team option around the twin stars. The operations the Jazz make this offseason will also determine how well they can perform in order to take the team to the next level.
About Derrick Favors
Favors has been a special presence in the Jazz's successful season. When Favors scores more than 15 points, the Jazz have a record of 15 wins and 5 losses. When he rebounds in double figures, the Jazz have a record of 13 wins and 6 losses. At the beginning of this season, Favors and Gobert were as incompatible as oil and water, which also caused the Jazz to fall behind in the playoff competition from the beginning. But as the season progressed, Gobert gradually recovered from his injuries, and the two also found a way to coexist: In later games, when the Utah Twin Towers were on the court at the same time, the Jazz averaged more points per 100 points than their opponents. 7.2 points higher.
Favors' salary this season is US$11.75 million. He will also become a completely free agent this summer. It is obvious that he will seek a high-priced contract in the free market. Although Favors has previously expressed his desire to return to the team, are the Jazz willing to keep him with a high-priced contract? As of the end of the series with the Rockets , Crowder actually took away most of Favos's critical moments and assumed the team's fourth position. Crowder's ability to open up space also matched Gobert's. The traditional style has produced greater effectiveness (at the same time, Crowder's contract is very cheap, his salary for the next two years adds up to only $15 million). Faced with the Rockets' small-ball offense, Favors may have a better game efficiency than Gobert, but this is not a situation with him and without me. The Jazz made this decision many years ago.
Given that the Jazz’s current team building strategy is to cater to the twin stars of Gobert and Mitchell, Favors may not be a suitable investment for the Jazz in the end. In particular, the Jazz gave Gobert a four-year contract worth $102 million, although they understood at the time that Gobert was still a long way from being an excellent perimeter defender, and that perimeter defense was against elite teams. A must-have weapon. Favors is the Jazz's last asset since the Deron Williams deal was finalized. His departure will mark the end of the dark days for the Jazz in the early 2010s. From this point of view, salary flexibility seems to have greater value than the stability of the team's lineup.How does
handle expiring contracts for next season?
Ricky Rubio is a very charismatic member of the Jazz: He has been so important and influential to Utah, especially at the end of the season, and he has been almost unique in joining Mitchell going forward. The best complementary backcourt player. The Spaniard has experienced a renaissance this season with the Jazz. This season he simultaneously produced the highest personal score and the best shooting efficiency in his seven-year career. The fact that these data can become the best of Rubio 's career is also related to his own past scoring data. Some of his past shooting data are the worst in history. Rubio is still not a stable shooter without the ball. He needs to have the ball in his hands to make good use of his vision. Mitchell can play without the ball, but in the long run, the Jazz still hope that the team's offense It started with the team's young stars, not Rubio (although the two have now developed an enviable brotherly relationship). It would be great for the Jazz if Rubio had another solid shooting season, but it would also mean they would have to spend more money to keep him next summer if he is still in the Jazz's plans.
Burks will also enter a contract year. Although he has only played 64 games this season, this is his healthiest number of appearances since the 2013-2014 season. He's averaging 16.5 minutes per game this season for a salary of $10.6 million, which isn't ideal and doesn't bode well for his next contract. His impressive performance against the Rockets in Game 2 gave him a bright future, and the Jazz may choose to showcase Burks' talent to a team in need of a shooting facilitator off the bench. Trade, and finally get rid of Burks' contract.
Will the Jazz be forced to make a decision about whether Exum will stay or go?
Exum has been in trouble frequently since he was drafted by the Jazz in 2014. His growth journey has been interrupted by injuries year after year. But the Australian's defense of Harden in the Rockets series became an unexpected discovery for the Jazz, and it reminded many why Exum was so popular in the first place. Exum is only 22 years old and will become a restricted free agent this offseason. He has all the elements to become an impactful player, and there is no doubt that there is a group of Jazz fans who hope that the team can have an Exum + Mitchell starting backcourt combination in the future. The Jazz are likely to sign Exum with a more lucrative contract after making a qualifying offer, but the question is whether another team will step forward to disrupt the Jazz's plans. The Jazz don't have ample salary space to be released this offseason, but it's enough for a team and a general manager to take a gamble. The Jazz still have plenty of opportunities to protect Exum's long-term basketball potential, which may be worth paying the Jazz a high salary. Exum's decision may be the Jazz's most difficult decision this offseason.
Original text: Paolo Uggetti
Compiler: Military Advisor
