Here is what the Jazz should try to do. I think most of this is within the realm of realistic outcomes.
1. Waive the trio of non-guaranteed vets who were signed this past off-season (Thabo/Jonas/Udoh). This will make sense with the other moves I will make.
2. Double sign and trade for Jabari Parker using Derrick Favors. Favors signs a 45 million dollar deal over 3 years and Parker signs a 54 million dollar deal over 3 years w/ a team option in the final year. Bucks really need a starting center and Favors gives them that while being more health reliable. Should be a good fit on the Bucks without being a premium price. This probably relies on their relationship being too frazzled with Parker to move on with him.
3. Re-sign Dante Exum for 20 million dollars over a 3 year deal, with the final year being a player option. Since the Jazz arent signing anyone using cap-space, they can have the upper-hand in negotiating with Dante as they can wait out his big cap hold. I think this is a good deal for Dante as it gives him a safety net of career earnings with the option to opt out after 2 years if he succeeds.
4. Extend Ricky Rubio with a 74 million dollar deal over 4 years starting in 2019. I expect Rubio to have a great year next year so I would want to lock him up to a fair deal now. With the Parker signing though, the need to extend Rubio becomes less so as the Jazz don't really benefit that much from lower his cap number on the 2019 free agency as they wouldnt have any real cap-space either way.
5. Sign Seth Curry using the bi-annual exception at 6 million over 2 years with a team option in the 2nd year. He was injured the entire year, but he played well the previous year for the Mavs. Offers high level shooting for a cheap price. Can play next to Exum in some 2nd unit lineups
6. Sign Jerami Grant using part of the mid-level exception at 12,600,000 over 3 years with the final year being a team option. I was really impressed by Grant in the OKC series. Great athlete with great length. I see him being a backup 4/5 and a potential ace in the sleeve against teams like Houston/GSW as a small ball 5. This is might be a bit of an overpay, but he is still fairly young and I think he will have a big market in the price range just below this.
7. Sign Anthony Tolliver using rest of mid-level exception for 8 million over 2 years w/ the final year being a team option. Replaces Jerebko as the situational stretch big. Similar weaknesses to Jerebko, but a much more dangerous shooter. Also a vet which is nice given how much younger the roster is getting with these moves.
8. Draft: Obviously the Jazz should draft BPA at the guard, wing or forward position, but personally I would place highest value on Jacob Evans or Elie Okobo with the first round pick. Drafting that late in the 2nd round is usually a crap shoot and have no real opinion on who should be taken without knowing who will fall that low, I will say Malik Newman just to say a name to put in the depth chart.
Depth Chart:
PG: Rubio/Exum/Newman
SG: Mitchell/O'Neale/Curry/Burks
SF: Ingles/Crowder/Evans
PF: Parker/Grant/Tolliver
C: Gobert/Bradley
Obviously the biggest question mark is Jabari's health, but if he stays healthy this is a potentially great team with a bright future and a lot of versatility.
1. Waive the trio of non-guaranteed vets who were signed this past off-season (Thabo/Jonas/Udoh). This will make sense with the other moves I will make.
2. Double sign and trade for Jabari Parker using Derrick Favors. Favors signs a 45 million dollar deal over 3 years and Parker signs a 54 million dollar deal over 3 years w/ a team option in the final year. Bucks really need a starting center and Favors gives them that while being more health reliable. Should be a good fit on the Bucks without being a premium price. This probably relies on their relationship being too frazzled with Parker to move on with him.
3. Re-sign Dante Exum for 20 million dollars over a 3 year deal, with the final year being a player option. Since the Jazz arent signing anyone using cap-space, they can have the upper-hand in negotiating with Dante as they can wait out his big cap hold. I think this is a good deal for Dante as it gives him a safety net of career earnings with the option to opt out after 2 years if he succeeds.
4. Extend Ricky Rubio with a 74 million dollar deal over 4 years starting in 2019. I expect Rubio to have a great year next year so I would want to lock him up to a fair deal now. With the Parker signing though, the need to extend Rubio becomes less so as the Jazz don't really benefit that much from lower his cap number on the 2019 free agency as they wouldnt have any real cap-space either way.
5. Sign Seth Curry using the bi-annual exception at 6 million over 2 years with a team option in the 2nd year. He was injured the entire year, but he played well the previous year for the Mavs. Offers high level shooting for a cheap price. Can play next to Exum in some 2nd unit lineups
6. Sign Jerami Grant using part of the mid-level exception at 12,600,000 over 3 years with the final year being a team option. I was really impressed by Grant in the OKC series. Great athlete with great length. I see him being a backup 4/5 and a potential ace in the sleeve against teams like Houston/GSW as a small ball 5. This is might be a bit of an overpay, but he is still fairly young and I think he will have a big market in the price range just below this.
7. Sign Anthony Tolliver using rest of mid-level exception for 8 million over 2 years w/ the final year being a team option. Replaces Jerebko as the situational stretch big. Similar weaknesses to Jerebko, but a much more dangerous shooter. Also a vet which is nice given how much younger the roster is getting with these moves.
8. Draft: Obviously the Jazz should draft BPA at the guard, wing or forward position, but personally I would place highest value on Jacob Evans or Elie Okobo with the first round pick. Drafting that late in the 2nd round is usually a crap shoot and have no real opinion on who should be taken without knowing who will fall that low, I will say Malik Newman just to say a name to put in the depth chart.
Depth Chart:
PG: Rubio/Exum/Newman
SG: Mitchell/O'Neale/Curry/Burks
SF: Ingles/Crowder/Evans
PF: Parker/Grant/Tolliver
C: Gobert/Bradley
Obviously the biggest question mark is Jabari's health, but if he stays healthy this is a potentially great team with a bright future and a lot of versatility.
