Jazz Still Face Many Unanswered Questions Post-Draft
There was a lot of hype foretelling some big changes leading up to the 2022 NBA draft, but at the end of the day, the Utah Jazz decided to stay put and now head into free agent season.
With Jazz executive Danny Ainge steering the ship, the speculation was high that All-Star Rudy Gobert and veteran Mike Conley could be traded, but when the rubber met the road, there was no deal to be had.
So where does this leave the Jazz for the 2022-23 season? With a lot more questions than answers.
The Jazz will have about $6 million to spend in free agency, but truthfully, a mid-level exception player doesn't move the needle much in today's NBA.
The Jazz could reshuffle the starting lineup by switching Donovon Mitchell over to the 1, Royce O'Neale to the 2, and Bojan Bogdanovic to the 3. This would leave a hole at 4, and Gobert at the 5.
It's a lineup that can certainly make the playoffs, but expecting anything more is the definition of insanity. There's also Jared Butler, who has the skill set to be in an NBA rotation, but hasn't been able to get the experience playing behind Mitchell and Conley.
Is this going to be the year where Butler gets his shot?.
Where would this leave Conley? It was no secret that the Jazz were making an effort to get out from under his contract.
Even though Conley can still produce on the court and be a leader in the locker room, there's just not a trade market for a point guard playing on the back nine of his career, and consuming $21 million in cap space. Getting a first-round pick for him was always a pipe dream.
The biggest offseason questions surround Gobert and Mitchell.
Can they co-exist?
Does Mitchell want to be here?
What were the offers that Ainge turned down for Gobert?
What is Gobert's trade value?
Could the Jazz pivot and put Mitchell on the block and test his trade market?
All of these questions will be answered in due time, but for right now, the Jazz are set to run it back in 2022-23 — albeit with a new head coach.
There will be another opportunity for an overhaul at the trade deadline, and if the Jazz are trending in the wrong direction, I would expect major changes.
Until then, let's wait and see if a new head coach can take a group that is just one year removed from earning the Western Conference's No. 1 playoff seed, and turn the ship around.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
