The Utah Jazz added free agent forward Jeff Green and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay to the team, along with swingman Bojan Bogdanovic.
Both Green and Mudiay signed for a one-year deal at the veteran’s min-salary worth $2.5 million.
The Utah Jazz signed sniper Bojan Bogdanovic to a four-year deal worth $73 million. The Croatian can play either shooting guard or small forward, but these days of positionless basketball in the NBA it really doesn’t matter.
The Jazz also added All-Star Mike Conley after a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Griz drafted Ja Morant and decided not to have Conley act as a mentor next season. Instead, Conley gets a chance to play in the same backcourt as budding star Donovan Mitchell (23.8 points per game). Along with Rudy Gobert, the Jazz starting five is looking very strong for next season.
The Jazz won 50 games last season and finished with the fifth best record in the Western Conference. They could not get past James Harden and the Rockets in the opening round and were bounced from the playoffs in five games.
Green and Mudiay Fliers
Green, 33, is a 12-year veteran who played for eight different teams averaging 13.2 points per game over his career. He last played on the dysfunctional Washington Wizards. He’s happy to jump ship and play for a team on the upswing. Green averaged 12.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season.
Green’s inconsistency gave LeBron James an ulcer two seasons ago with the Cleveland Cavs. When he’s on and focused, he’s a worthy asset. But when things are not going well, he’s a defensive liability.
Mudiay, 23, missed significant time last season, but still started in 42 games with the NY Knicks. Coach David Fizdale preferred Mudiay’s toughness on both ends of the court over Frank Nktilikina. The flier on Mudiay could pay out dividends, especially if he learns a few new tricks from Conley.
BB Sharpshooter
Bojan Bogdanovic, 30, was a late second round pick by the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Draft. He’s played 6 NBA seasons including his first three with the Brooklyn Nets.
Bogdanovic came off the bench for one season in Washington before settling in as a starter with the Indiana Pacers the last two seasons. He averaged a career-high 20 points last season including 42.5 percent from three-point range.
The Jazz can start him in the three-spot and have workhorse Joe Ingles come off the bench, or the Jazz can rely on Bogdanovic to come off the bench as an offensive sparkplug. Then again, they are paying him $73 million which most likely points to a starting role with Conley and Mitchell.
According to the South Point Casino and Sports Book in Las Vegas, the Utah Jazz are 16/1 odds to win the 2020 NBA Championship. The LA Lakers with newly acquired Anthony Davis are now 7/4 favorites to win the title.
