NBA Trades: 5 targets for the Jazz to replace Joe Ingles
By Alec Marcus
NBA Trades: 5 targets for the Jazz to replace Joe Ingles – Tomas Satoransky
The New Orleans Pelicans have certainly not built on their 31-41 record last year, and much of the team’s setback can be attributed to the prolonged healing process of Zion Williamson.
They hold a 19-32 mark and are well out of the playoff picture, putting whatever short-term assets they have up for grabs as they aim to improve their rebuild.
Satoransky, in his sixth NBA season and his first in New Orleans, is having the worst year of his career, playing 32 of the team’s 51 games as a backup point guard. Acquired in the puzzling Lonzo Ball trade this past summer, he was supposed to be a reliable source of offense on a maturing team. Through three months, he’s only been a distributor and has lost minutes to much younger players.
The Pelicans will not be making the playoffs this year and are only interested in players that could be meaningful moving forward. The 30-year-old combo guard is now an outcast who doesn’t appear to fit with the team he’s on and isn’t obligated to return after this year.
Satoransky’s production has been pretty similar to that of Ingles, and both international players stand at around 6-7. The former has also made a name for himself as a facilitator, and like the latter, he’s also a pesky defender.
The clear difference between Satoransky and Ingles is that Satoransky isn’t a strong three-point shooter, and this year is a clear indication that he can’t create off-the-dribble or shoot it at a high volume.
Ingles is generally known for being a three-point marksman who can do both those things when the time is right. This is what separates the two.
Ingles is a sniper and Satoransky (career 7.0 points and 4.0 assists per game, 35.6percent from range on 1.8 attempts) isn’t a reliable source of shooting. Especially since he’s a blistering cold 5-for-31 from deep this year.
Satoransky is on an expiring contract worth $10 million, meaning he’s merely a short-term solution for the Jazz and could earn another contract if he performs well enough.
Whether the Jazz want to trade for Satoransky or not depends on if they’re willing to overlook his shooting struggles and ineptitudes, knowing they’re already an elite three-point unit.