Utah Jazz free agency: 3 guards to complete the rotation
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Possible Utah Jazz addition: Tyler Johnson
If the Utah Jazz do offer Tyler Johnson a contract, its value probably won’t be enough to elicit the sort of visceral reaction Johnson has had to a payday in the past. Still, he’s a solid combo guard that should be comfortably worth the equivalent of a fourth guard’s salary.
Versatility is Johnson’s calling card. He epitomizes the jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none cliché. In 2019-20, Johnson posted a VORP of 0. In other words, he was a precisely average NBA player.
Playing behind the triumvirate of Mitchell, Conley Jr. and Clarkson, that won’t be an issue. His usage rate of 13.3% last season squares nicely with the Jazz’s wealth of playmakers, and his career three-point percentage of 36% bodes well for his fit with the squad as well.
A true combo guard, Johnson can play alongside any of the 3. While he’s unlikely to significantly boost the effectiveness of any backcourt combination, he’s equally unlikely to have an adverse impact on any lineup he’s slotted into.
Johnson may not be the most exciting option for this Utah Jazz club, but he’s more reliable than young guns like Trent Forrest, Elijah Hughes, Matt Thomas or Miye Oni. For a contending squad looking for a third string guard, reliability trumps excitement.
Utah Jazz fans in Salt Lake City and abroad will enter the 2021-22 NBA season with an abundance of optimism. There are few question marks left surrounding this team, but a fourth rotational guard is one of them. Any of these 3 players would be a solid option to provide an answer.
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Utah Jazz</a>‘s guard rotation should be the envy of much of the National Basketball Association. Between Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley Jr. and Jordan Clarkson, the Jazzmen boast 3 guards who posted positive Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) figures during the 2020-21 season. Each man is a household name, with two All-Stars in Mitchell and Conley, and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year in Clarkson.</p>
<p>After Mitchell, Conley and Clarkson, Utah’s guard rotation gets a little murky, if not entirely bleak.</p>
<p>It’s hard to identify a clear fourth guard on this roster. Trent Forrest is a candidate; by any measure, this man <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/10/utah-jazz-free-agency-3-guards-rotation/4/"https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/08/utah-jazz-summer-league-2/">balled out</a> for the Utah Jazz White in the Salt Lake City Summer League. Still, calling his three-point shot a work-in-progress would be generous, and the10.1 minutes per game he played during his rookie campaign are unlikely to increase with the Utah Jazz squared firmly in title contention.</p>
<p>Matt Thomas is another option, however, the 7.1 minutes of action he saw on a nightly basis last season also reflect a limited player. His -6.0 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) does not inspire optimism either.</p>
<p>With relatively few options on the incumbent roster, the Utah Jazz may opt for an outside hire to complete their guard rotation. Here are 3 remaining options in free agency should they decide to do so.</p>
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<span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Ranking the Jazz's 10 projected rotation pieces </a> </div>
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<p>Utah Jazz fans in Salt Lake City and abroad will enter the 2021-22 NBA season with an abundance of optimism. There are few question marks left surrounding this team, but a fourth rotational guard is one of them. Any of these 3 players would be a solid option to provide an answer.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
