5 players the Utah Jazz may try to trade away in the 2019 offseason
By Nick Crain
4. Royce O’Neale
Royce O’Neale, just 25 years old, was the ultimate role player for the Utah Jazz last season. Coming off the bench as a 3-and-D guy the majority of the season, the second-year guard played 20.4 minutes per contest. O’Neale is another great shooter from deep, dialing in at 38.6 percent on the season while averaging 5.2 points per game.
O’Neale is known for being a hard worker who can defender the other team’s best guard. In the most recent playoff series with the Hoston Rockets, O’Neale was tasked with guarding James Harden quite a bit.
With one year worth around $1.6 million left on his deal, O’Neale is a very cheap contributor for the Jazz, which also makes him an interesting trade piece. He appeared in all 82 games this season, proving he can stay healthy and make an impact all season. He is still on his rookie contract and may be looking to get paid next summer, potentially even higher than what the Jazz are willing to offer.
If there is a young, rebuilding team out there that thinks he can flourish with an increased role, it’s hard to think Utah wouldn’t consider giving him up. In the modern NBA, guys who can shoot and defend are extremely valuable, so championship contenders may be interested in acquiring him as well.