End of Season Grades: Evaluating Jazz C Omer Yurtseven

What better way to digest the Utah Jazz's recently finished up the season than to hand out player grades? After a developmental season where the Jazz went 31-51, we’re doing just that. Next up on our list is Omer Yurtseven.

The Jazz signed Yurtseven to a team-friendly deal a summer ago. Yurtseven was a serviceable third center for the Jazz all year. His physicality, low post-scoring, and ability to step away from the basket and knock down a jump shot all provided value for the rebuilding Jazz. Yurtseven has always been a very good rebounder, which he carried over this year, evidenced by his 13.7 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Yurtseven appeared in 48 contests on the year, averaging 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. While these numbers are modest, it’s commendable that Yurtseven was always prepared for when his number was called.

An example of this came early in the season in a tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Jazz fell behind early and turned to Yurtseven for answers. He poured 18 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes of game action.

Yurtseven’s best game in a Jazz uniform came late in the season when he got some extended minutes. In a game against the defending champions, the big man scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He did this on an efficient 9/14 shooting from the floor against a formidableDenver Nuggets squad.

The Jazz are heading into a pivotal off-season as their front office looks to improve the roster's overall talent. Yurtseven is on a non-guaranteed contract worth about $2.6M that doesn’t fully guarantee until January. The Jazz will have to decide if they want to take Yurtseven into the season or if they want to find a third center elsewhere.

Overall, Yurtseven was solid for the Jazz, given his role and expectations. He provided quality depth to a frontcourt that struggled to stay healthy throughout the season.

Grade: C+

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.Subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!