Utah Jazz Address How They Will Attack Final Open Roster Spot

The Utah Jazz sit a little under a month away from kicking off their 2026-27 regular season after a long offseason's wait.

And with the season right around the corner for Utah, they still only have 14 players signed onto traditional contracts––one short of the NBA roster limit of 15.

That gives the Jazz a couple of options on how to approach things leading into the new year.

On one hand, the front office could leave that roster spot open, providing a bit more optionality on how to approach the back of their rotation moving into the year.

On the other, Utah has the ability to bring a new player for that extra depth before the year tips off, and round out their 15-man group entirely.

What Austin Ainge Said About Jazz's Last Roster Spot

In the mind of Jazz President Austin Ainge, he doesn't seem to have a clear determination on how that 15th roster spot will be used before the regular season starts. It could be from a camp contract, a new free agent addition, or via trade.

However, Ainge did note that the Jazz are not "a finished product." So perhaps that's a hint that Utah has something up their sleeve for that final spot.

"We always look at everything," Ainge said of the Jazz's last roster spot. "I've got a group of people that sit on whiteboards and invent ideas all day. So, we'll look at opportunities. It could come internally in camp, it could come externally. It could be trades."

"You never know what pops up, but we know we're not a finished product as a team––not that you ever can be. Even teams that win championships have to adjust constantly. So, we'll be looking for anything that makes us better."

Jan 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; (from left to right) Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge and president of basketball operations Austin Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik speak before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It wasn't too long ago that the Jazz had a full 15-man group heading into the season, and felt a bit closer to that aforementioned finished product––at least as it concerned their opening night roster. This front office is always prone to making some unexpected trades as the year goes on.

Inevitably though, the Jazz felt compelled to make a swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves to bring in Josh Green just a few weeks away from training camp, bolstering their depth and defensive upside on the perimeter, in exchange for Cody Williams and John Konchar.

So now, the Jazz find themselves in a bit more of a flexible position than they once were, and can potentially find a better fit for that final roster spot than what they had in the mix before.

Utah could go out and make another similar trade for their second unit to bring in an additional depth piece, sign on a two-way or camp contract already in the building such as Harrison Ingram or Blake Hinson, or even add another veteran or familiar face who's still on the market like Kevin Love or Kelly Olynyk.

Bottom Line

As to which direction the front office chooses remains to be seen. And really, they have some time on their hands to make a decision.

Utah's season opener doesn't arrive until late October, and even if the Jazz don't find a player that's really coveted for that final roster spot, they still meet the 14-man roster minimum that could keep this roster constructed as is.

However, don't expect the Jazz to remain complacent in constructing their new-and-improved roster even in the final days before the new season gets rolling––even if it's only for the final spot on the roster altogether.

Be sure to follow Utah Jazz On SI on X to stay up to date for daily Utah Jazz news, rumors and analysis!

Add us as a preferred source on Google