2018 NBA free agency grades: Jazz retaining Derrick Favors

The Utah Jazz are reportedly re-signing Derrick Favors to a two-year, $32 million deal. Let’s give the new contract for Favors a grade.

The Utah Jazz weren’t expected to be big players this free agency period, but they did have two key free agents to make decisions on: Derrick Favors and Dante Exum. The jury’s still out on what the Jazz are going to do with Exum, but they have decided to bring back Favors.

According to Yahoo! Sports‘ Shams Charania, the Jazz will bring back Favors on a two-year, $32 million deal that could reach as high as $37 million with incentives.

Favors is coming off a season where he averaged 12.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He shot a career-high 56.3 percent from the field, but only 22.2 percent from beyond the arc on 0.8 attempts per game.

In the playoffs, compared to his regular season averages, while his production took a dip (9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game), his efficiency went up (61.8 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc).

The question still remains: Why is Utah paying a player $16 million a year for a career 20.2 percent shooter from deep? For starters, the second year is non-guaranteed:

The deal suddenly looks a lot better with that in mind. ESPN‘s Bobby Marks provided a breakdown of how it impacts Utah’s cap space as free agency rolls on:

July 9 is next Monday, which means Utah has a week to decide whether to create more cap room, or essentially run back the same roster as last season. The Jazz did guarantee Thabo Sefolosha‘s contract for next year, despite the fact the veteran forward is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in January.

Coupled with Favors’ re-signing, it likely means that both Jonas Jerebko and Ekpe Udoh are not coming back.

On top of that, the news that the Minnesota Timberwolves withdrew their qualifying offer from rumored Jazz target Nemanja Bjelica, while also reportedly signing veteran Anthony Tolliver, doesn’t look good either for Jerebko and Udoh:

Those moves do look good for Derrick Favors.

Favors isn’t a world-beater. He’s never been an All-Star in his career, and won’t be making the Hall of Fame. He’s not an elite shot-blocker like his frontcourt mate Rudy Gobert, nor is he a 20-10 guy. What he is consistent, and someone that fits in the Jazz system. Sometimes, that’s more valuable than anything else.

Remember, Favors has been with the Jazz since 2010, essentially his whole career. He’s been with them during their rough years, and he understands how much this franchise means to Salt Lake City and its inhabitants, along with where they’ve come from. While acquiring someone like Jabari Parker or Julius Randle may have been a solid signing, neither of those players could come close to grasping that.

Favors was the Jazz’s fifth-leading scorer, second-leading rebounder and the third-leading shot blocker on the team last season.

Favors also was a part of a Jazz team this past season that went 48-34, finished as the fifth-best team in an ever-crowded Western Conference, and dispatched the Oklahoma City Thunder in six games in the playoffs. Donovan Mitchell and Gobert may be some of the more notable players for the Jazz, with Favors as the composer — a role he is perfectly suited to play.

Favors may be playing third or even fourth fiddle this next season, but that’s okay – the Jazz will still make some sweet music next season.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Grade: B+