Utah Jazz: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2019-20

1. Emmanuel Mudiay

Maybe a surprise name to some, Emmanuel Mudiay is possibly one of the biggest sleeper acquisitions of the summer, and he came at a cheap price. He signed a minimum contract with the Jazz towards the second half of free agency.

Mudiay is only 23 years old, and will be nearing 24 later in the season. With him being so young, it is a shock that he signed a minimum contract, although it is quite the steal for the Jazz.

He played 59 games last season, averaging 27.2 minutes per contest and putting up 14.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game in those 27 minutes. His shooting has always been his biggest weakness, as he shot only 44 percent from the field.

While that isn’t the worst,  most point guards shoot more efficiently than that.

A side note for Mudiay is that he played on the worst team in the league last year, the New York Knicks. The Knicks were dysfunctional for nearly all of last season, and anyone who disagrees must not have watched the league.

Playing for a team of that caliber may have worsened his stats, as he may have felt compelled to shoot more and force things due to the lack of talent around him. Playing for the Utah Jazz will be a whole different story, however.

Mudiay, being 6’5″, can provide a great defensive presence from the backcourt for the team’s second unit. He has proven to be a capable passer already, and can put the ball in the basket.

He’ll essentially be a jack-of-all-trades player for Utah, a type of player that any team would love to have.

Aside from his stats and physical tools, Mudiay will have the most consistency in his minutes compared to the previous two players.

He’ll have virtually no competition for the backup point guard spot aside from Dante Exum (when he’s healthy), but even they can play together at the point guard and shooting guard if need be.

The best thing about Mudiay is the fact that he’ll have Mike Conley to learn from. Conley, one of the league’s brightest and best teammates, will be eager to help all the young players of the Utah Jazz learn the game.

Add in that Mudiay plays the same position, and he may be able to pick up some extra things from the veteran. Conley may even be able to help Mudiay improve his 3-point shot, too.

If Mudiay is able to improve his shooting and learn a thing or two from the veterans on the team, he could be a strong sixth man candidate as well as a breakout candidate for the Utah Jazz going into the 2019-20 season.