Utah Jazz outlook toward free agency, trade period, contending in the West
By Simon Smith
Decision time
While losing a player of Hayward’s caliber would be a significant body blow, the Jazz’s front office has proven itself to be among the elite in the league. If Lindsey and his team were able to pull off the moves mentioned, the Jazz would enter the opening day of next season with the following lineup:
G – Chris Paul
G – Rodney Hood
F – Andrew Wiggins
F – Nikola Mirotic
C – Rudy Gobert
This represents a great mix of play making, perimeter shooting, athleticism and elite defense. Having witnessed first hand the dominance of the Warriors this postseason, the Jazz will be under no illusions that they will need to make significant strides if they are to reach their level of play.
Despite increasing their wins total from 40 to 51 this season, reaching the next, elite level is certainly the most challenging. And that is why the Jazz will need to combine a level of creativity and risk-taking to provide themselves with the chance to challenge the likes of the Warriors.
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Since they made back-to-back NBA Finals appearance in 1997 and 1998, the Jazz have not eclipsed 55 wins in a season. As a result they have reached the Western Conference Finals just once, losing 4-1 to the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
Hence, the franchise and their fans alike have experienced plenty of first or second round exits in the postseason. So there comes a time when rolling the dice and pushing towards the elite of the league makes sense.
Paul would follow a legacy of elite point guards who have plied their trade with the Jazz. Hall-of-Famer John Stockton and three-time All-Star Deron Williams are just two examples. Furthermore, Wiggins represents a talent rarely seen in Salt Lake City.
One of Wiggins’ current teammates, Cole Aldrich, placed Wiggins’ ability with a former teammate of his, Kevin Durant:
"“He’s just so talented. You don’t always know what he’s gonna do, because he’s so skilled….He’s just kind of one of those guys that you look up at the scoreboard and you don’t notice that he’s got 25.”"
Another teammate, Jordan Hill, added:
"“He’s so cool, so laid-back. I feel if he got that Kobe mentality or that Russell Westbrook mentality to go out every night and just be fierceful — ain’t nobody gonna stop him. He’s just that good of a player…It’s his third year in the league, he still hasn’t gotten to that bright spot. He’s gonna get there and shock the world.”"
While no one can foresee the future, Wiggins’ potential is clearly tantalizing. Five games of at least 40 points this season is just one example. And with his supreme athleticism and wingspan, transforming Wiggins into one of the elite two-way players is a real possibility.
Combining Wiggins with Paul, Gobert and coach Snyder’s defensive philosophy would provide an incredible nucleus for the Jazz.
As can be seen, the moves covered here cater primarily for the starting unit. The deal for Wiggins obviously cuts into the depth of the team, while also pushing the limits on the team’s salary cap for the years to come.
Next: 5 potential landing spots for Chris Paul in free agency
But with the current state of the league, team’s like the Jazz are going to need to think laterally and push the boundaries in order to realistically challenge the cream of the crop. The moves mentioned here would be a step in the right direction.