New Jazz Guard Josh Christopher: Analyzing his Best & Worst Traits
On Thursday, the Utah Jazz signed Josh Christopher, a 21-year-old guard who spent his first two seasons with the Houston Rockets, to a two-way contract. To make room for Christopher, the Jazz waived two-way forward Joey Hauser, an undrafted rookie out of Michigan State.
This was a low-risk, high-reward move for the Jazz. Let’s break down why.
NBA Frame? Check
The 24th overall in the 2021 NBA draft, Christopher played in 138 games over his first two NBA campaigns and averaged 6.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.7 steals in 15 minutes per game. He has an NBA body at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds with a wingspan of over 6-foot-9.
At just 21 years old, Christopher still has the same upside he did two years ago when he was a highly sought-after NBA prospect.
A Slashing Style
The simplest way to describe Christopher's skill set is to call him a slasher. He’s a fluid mover with a very strong frame that allows him to get into the paint and finish in a variety of ways.
Whether it’s dunking on or contorting around the defender, Christopher is dynamic when he gets in the paint. He’s at his best when he’s got a full head of steam attacking the rim, especially in transition, but he can also create from scratch.
One skill Christopher has shown is a pullup jump shot that, if he continues to develop it, could be a lethal counter if his drive gets cut off.
Concerning 3-Point Efficiency
The biggest question mark with Christopher is his outside shot. He’s converted just 27.7% of 278 three-point attempts in his young career.
This is a number Christopher will need to improve on if he’s going to carve out a role in the NBA again. There is reason for optimism as his shot passes the eye test. With more reps and hopefully some easier looks, that number should improve.
Wildcard: Defense
A wildcard for Christopher is going to be his defense. With his athleticism and length, he should be better on this end than he's been.
Like a lot of young players, Christopher graded out very poorly on that end of the court. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he has the potential to be a solid defender if he puts his mind to it.
With a deep crop of guards ahead of him, Christopher will probably spend a lot of time in the G-League this year. This will be a great opportunity for him to round out his game and find his role within the Jazz system.
The Takeaway
If Christopher is able to take some strides as a shooter and defender throughout the year, we could see him working his way into minutes with the Jazz at some point this season. Whether or not he blossoms is to be determined, but this was a great opportunity for the Jazz to snag a talented young player.
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