Jazz offseason recap: Veterans Hill, Johnson and Diaw complement young core
With the bulk of NBA free agency in the books, Paste BN Sports explores how all the offseason moves will alter each team as we look ahead to the 2016-17 season.
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Projected starting five: Utah Jazz
(Statistics from 2015-16 season)
- George Hill (with Indiana) - Points: 12.1, assists: 3.5, rebounds: 4.0, steals: 1.1, field goal percentage: 44.1%
- Rodney Hood - Points: 14.5, rebounds: 3.4, assists: 2.7, steals: 0.9, field goal percentage: 42.0%
- Gordon Hayward - Points: 19.7, rebounds: 5.0, assists: 3.7, steals: 1.2, field goal percentage: 43.3%
- Derrick Favors - Points: 16.4, rebounds: 8.1, assists: 1.5, blocks: 1.5, field goal percentage: 51.5%
- Rudy Gobert - Points: 9.1, rebounds: 11.0, assists: 1.5, blocks: 2.2, field goal percentage: 55.9%
Added - Hill, Joe Johnson, Boris Diaw, Joel Bolomboy, Marcus Paige
Lost - Trevor Booker, Trey Burke
Biggest acquisition - Hill
Dante Exum, 21, is still on tap to be the point guard of the future for the Jazz. But he missed all of last season with a torn ACL, so bringing in Hill (30) — a solid, defensive-minded vet who shot a career-high 40.8% from beyond the arc last year — to take over the starting duties as floor general while Exum eases back into things was a smart move for both the short and long term.
Biggest departure - Burke
The former consensus national college player of the year and No. 9 overall draft pick (2013) didn't live up to expectations during his three seasons in Utah, struggling to find a true fit in coach Quin Snyder's rotation. You hate to see a 23-year-old former lottery pick leave so soon, but both parties should be better off moving forward.
X factor - Hood
Hood bounced back last year after a rough, injury-plagued rookie season (8.7 points in 21.3 minutes; missed 32 games), solidifying his role as Utah's starting shooting guard and the team's third scoring option behind Hayward and Favors. His upward trend is encouraging, and if he can continue to progress in his third season, the young core (all in their early to mid-20s) paired with the new seasoned veterans (Hill, Johnson and Diaw) should put the Jazz right in the thick of things in the West.
Offseason grade - A
Check out our other offseason recaps: Atlanta • Boston • Brooklyn • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Dallas • Denver • Detroit • Golden State • Houston• Indiana • L.A. Clippers • L.A. Lakers • Memphis • Miami • Milwaukee • Minnesota • New Orleans • New York • Oklahoma City • Orlando • Philadelphia • Phoenix • Portland • Sacramento • San Antonio • Toronto
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