Utah Jazz: Ranking the 10 projected rotation pieces

Utah Jazz</a> returnees in young floor general Trent Forrest and big man Udoka Azubuike. And this came the week after the franchise pulled off the potential <em>steal</em> of the 2021 NBA Draft by landing the top scorer from the reigning NCAA champs in Baylor guard Jared Butler.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong> <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/08/utah-jazz-summer-league-2/">3 standout performers from the Salt Lake City Summer League</a></p> <p>Plus, depending on injuries and how the bottom of the roster shakes out, significant playing time could find Miye Oni, Elijah Hughes, Jarrell Brantley, etc.</p> <p>But don&#8217;t count on&nbsp;<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/08/06/utah-jazz-gm-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quin Snyder</a> employing more than 10 players in any given outing. No, recent history says the&nbsp;eighth-year Jazz head honcho may truly trust in only eight or nine guys from one game to the next.</p> <p>Still, the offseason moves thus far suggest the front office and coaching staff foresee double-digit regular contributors. So let&#8217;s examine the presumed primary weapons, one at a time, ranking them by their projected playing time during standard 48-minute close contests next season.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;10. Hassan Whiteside </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div class="embed embed-video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"https://www.youtube.com/embed/znitq0DQFX0?feature=oembed%22 frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> <h2>10.&nbsp;Utah Jazz center Hassan Whiteside</h2> <p>If Hassan Whiteside rediscovers his Miami Heat form, then the shot-callers in Salt Lake City will indeed have a tough time keeping him on the bench for extended stretches. Nevertheless, it seems somewhat unreasonable to expect anything close to a double-double average from the relatively nimble 7-foot, 265-pound big man&nbsp;in his first season with the Utah Jazz.</p> <p>However, since Utah traded Derrick Favors to the Oklahoma City Thunder last week before signing Whiteside to a one-year veteran minimum deal in free agency, the 32-year-old North Carolina native looks to be the primary backup to Rudy Gobert at the five-spot.</p> <p>Judging from Udoka Azubuike&#8217;s Salt Lake City Summer League prowess, though, the former first-round pick might stake a claim to some minutes in the post. In other words, Azubuike may occasionally take playing time from Whiteside should the 6-foot-10, 280-pound 21-year-old manage to maintain the required endurance to keep up with the fast-paced Jazz attack.</p> <p>Furthermore, the recently acquired Rudy Gay and Eric Paschall might together provide Utah with a couple of ways to implement more small-ball lineups, thereby dinging Whiteside&#8217;s minutes as well.</p> <p><strong>Projected playing time for Hassan Whiteside:</strong> 11 minutes per game</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;9. Eric Paschall </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div class="embed embed-video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"https://www.youtube.com/embed/WM-lRGSwPeA?feature=oembed%22 frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> <h2>9.&nbsp;Utah Jazz forward Eric Paschall</h2> <p>Giving up only a future second-round draft pick, the Utah Jazz snagged the 24-year-old Eric Paschall from the Golden State Warriors last week.</p> <p>Now, there&#8217;s no doubt the 6-foot-6, 255-pound junkyard dog is a promising dirty-work specialist who should expand his game this season while learning a thing or two from do-anything veteran forward Royce O&#8217;Neale. Most importantly, Paschall offers the Jazz what they have been sorely lacking in and around the low block as of late: bruiser-like muscle.</p> <p>He&#8217;s a former 2018 national champion with Villanova and the 41st overall selection from the 2019 NBA Draft. Then Paschall wound up on the 2019-20 NBA All-Rookie Team after averaging&nbsp;14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 49.7 percent from the field.</p> <p>Yet his numbers significantly dipped across the board as a Warriors sophomore with question marks popping up about his defense. On the other hand, Paschall did excel on occasion at the five-spot in smaller lineups.</p> <p>Finally, as a native New Yorker and longtime friend of Jazz sensation Donovan Mitchell, Paschall might be in line for some preferential treatment in the playing time department.</p> <p><strong>Projected playing time for Eric Paschall:</strong> 12 minutes per game</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;8. Joe Ingles </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_84733" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2017/07/16239507.jpeg">The 50 greatest Jazz players in franchise history</a></p> <p>Factor in the two-time All-Star&#8217;s offseason rest. Glance again at his unreal individual performances, with a bum ankle, in the 2021 NBA Playoffs; remember, he averaged 32.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while knocking down 43.5 percent of his 3-point attempts.</p> <p>No doubt, Donovan Mitchell is about ready to reach the levels where only legends roam.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="3 reasons the Jazz can counter the Lakers" data-url="https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/06/3-reasons-utah-jazz-counter-lakers/" data-call-to-action="Next" > <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/09/utah-jazz-10-projected-rotation-pieces/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2021/08/06/3-reasons-utah-jazz-counter-lakers/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span>&nbsp;3 reasons the Jazz can counter the Lakers </a> </div> </div> <p><strong>Projected playing time for Donovan Mitchell:</strong> 35 minutes per game</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">