2019 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Emmanuel Mudiay: 1 year, $1.9 million (Utah Jazz)
Free agent guard Emmanuel Mudiay has agreed to a one-year deal with the Utah Jazz, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2019
After trading for Mike Conley, waiving Raul Neto and letting Ricky Rubio walk, point guard depth was one of the few remaining issues for this revamped Utah Jazz roster. While Emmanuel Mudiay is mostly considered a bust at this point, he represents a solid backup or third string option who shouldn’t be given up on just yet.
True enough, his first five years in the league haven’t lived up to the billing of a No. 7 overall pick, but Mudiay is still only 23 years old and is coming off his best season yet, averaging a career-high 14.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game with the New York Knicks. Given Dante Exum’s injury-proneness, a little extra depth never hurt.
Under the tutelage of Conley and head coach Quin Snyder, perhaps Mudiay’s development will build on last year’s momentum, even if he’ll no longer be in a starting role. After all, this wouldn’t be the first time the Jazz turned former Denver Nuggets draft picks into stars. Just ask Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.
Grade: B-