Utah Jazz 2016-17 season review: Boris Diaw
By Adam Coffman
Boris Diaw was brought to the Utah Jazz as a means of acquiring veteran leaderhsip and playoff experience. What did he bring to the team in his one season there?
The Utah Jazz knew they were a team on the rise last offseason, a sentiment that showed in their free agent signing of Boris Diaw. A 14-year NBA vet, Diaw had championship experience with the San Antonio Spurs and figured to be a valuable piece for the Jazz as they began serious contention.
In some respects, this worked out, as he started nine of the Jazz’s 11 playoff games and seemed to have a positive influence on Rudy Gobert and others, but the stats often did not paint him as a positive asset.
All told, Diaw averaged 4.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on 45 percent shooting from the field. All of the above values were career-lows, but it’s worth mentioning that they came in just 17.6 minutes per game.
He was used in a variety of roles this year, starting 33 games in place of injured players, missing time with his own ailments, and serving as a bench piece for the remaining time.
Ideally, his impact goes beyond the box score, but that doesn’t mean we should disregard his on-court production in 2016-17.
Related Story: Trey Lyles 2016-17 season review
In order to evaluate his performance this year, we’ll look at the best and worst aspects of Diaw’s game, as well as what his play means for his and the team’s collective future.