Utah Jazz Sign Pair of Forward Prospects to 3-Year Deals
The Utah Jazz will roll the dice on a pair of prospects. On Monday, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Utah is signing forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. and forward Darius Bazley to non-guaranteed three-year contracts.
Lofton has some experience playing at the NBA level. He’s logged 43 games in his short career, averaging 3.9 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Most of his time has been spent with the Memphis Grizzlies, but he also played two games this year with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Lofton is known for his wide body and physical style of play. He’s listed at 6’ 7 and 275 pounds and can use his weight advantage to create separation on the block.
Bazley’s most recent stint was with the 76ers this year. He’s also spent time with the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Thunder.
Bazley has proven he can be a solid contributor in an NBA rotation, and signing with a franchise in the midst of a rebuild may be just what the doctor ordered. This season, he’s averaging 21 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest with Delaware in the G-League.
The Jazz continue to show interest in bringing in players that can be developed in the G-League. Lofton Jr. and Bazley will join Isaiah Thomas and Jason Preston of the Salt Lake City Stars. Preston is the one that has impressed as of late, averaging 21.3 points on 51.2% from the field over his last ten games.
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