The Jazz were hit with two major losses this off-season, losing Rodney Hood to the Cavaliers and trading for Jerami Grant from Oklahoma City. They didn’t replace either player at a similar position or quality on the roster but it does leave them in good shape to sign restricted free agent point guard Ricky Rubio. The 30-year old is not expected to rejoin his original team, instead choosing Utah as an option that will have him competing against rookie Donovan Mitchell for minutes next season.
“jazz nba” is a general blog post about the Utah Jazz and their potential landing spot for Jerami Grant.
With a record of 30-18, it’s safe to say that the Utah Jazz are on their way to the Western Conference playoffs. However, a playoff berth should not be Utah’s primary goal. Instead, the Jazz are hunting down the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, devising a strategy for overtaking the conference’s top two teams.
Between now and the NBA trade deadline, Utah will look at a range of possibilities. The Jazz, like many other clubs, are interested in acquiring Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant.
The Utah Jazz’s top trade target is Jerami Grant.
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There will be a lot of names tossed about in different speculations between now and the deadline next month. So long as he stays in Motown, Grant will surely be one of the most well-known names.
Grant, 27, is in the second year of a three-year, $60 million deal. Last season, the 6-foot-8 forward scored 22.3 points on 42.9 percent shooting, which was a career best. Before having surgery to repair a damaged ligament in his thumb, Grant averaged another 20.1 points this season. The eighth-year vet hasn’t played since Dec. 10, despite the fact that he’s on the edge of returning to action.
They feel that Grant’s versatility would be a valuable complement to the Jazz. Grant is Utah’s “favorite target” at the deadline, according to Marc Stein of Substack. However, Detroit is unlikely to deal with Grant in exchange for Utah’s alleged offer, which includes Joe Ingles’ expiring contract and a potential first-round selection.
To make things worse, the Jazz are up against stiff competition for Grant. The Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings have emerged as significant suitors for the 27-year-old forward, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. The Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and New York Knicks are three more clubs keeping an eye on Grant, who is described as “the biggest prize of the deadline” by sources.
Grant or not, the Utah Jazz need to make a move before the deadline.
The Jazz were in contention for the Western Conference title after finishing 28-10. However, Utah has dropped to the fourth seed after a dreadful 2-8 run over the previous ten games.
Part of this may be attributed to injuries. Donovan Mitchell has been absent since January 17 as he recovers from a concussion. Rudy Gobert injured his calf against the Warriors last weekend and will miss his second consecutive game on Wednesday against the Suns. Utah also faced Phoenix without Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Royce O’Neale in its previous game.
However, injuries are impacting every club, including the Suns and Warriors, to some extent. The top two teams in the West have been missing Deandre Ayton and Draymond Green, respectively, while also dealing with injuries to other players.
Mitchell and Gobert are without a doubt Utah’s two top players. If one (or both) players are unavailable, an extra player like Grant may assist bear the strain.
The Jazz’s biggest challenge is determining how much they’ll have to give up to get someone like Grant. Their depth is one of the things that makes them a serious championship challenger. Five players have scored in double digits in each of their first 48 games. That depth, on the other hand, might be used to package players and make a deal for Grant or another game-changing star.
Even if Utah gets outbid for Grant, it should not give up looking for further support.
Another veteran is said to be on the Jazz’s radar.
With just a few days left to negotiate a deal, the Jazz are looking into all options. Robert Covington, the steady veteran forward from the Trail Blazers, is one man to keep an eye on. According to Stein, Covington is attracting trade interest from a number of clubs, including Utah.
Covington, 31, is the archetypal 3-and-D veteran that competitive teams desire. During his nine-year career, the 6-foot-7 big has averaged 11.7 points, 2.2 3-pointers, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 block per game. Covington is averaging 7.7 points per game this season while also averaging over a steal and a block in 29.3 minutes per night.
Covington will not be a significant contributor to the league’s highest-scoring offense at this point in his career. His height and flexibility, on the other hand, may help Utah’s 11th-ranked defensive rating. Not to add, his contract is about to expire, making him a cheap trade target.
Grant is the clear pick and a player who has the potential to transform Utah into a legitimate championship contender. Covington’s reputation as a versatile defender, on the other hand, may help the Jazz’s overall perspective at a low cost.
Basketball Reference provided all statistics, while Spotrac provided contract data.
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