Jazz Rumors

Simone Fontecchio Signs Two-Year Deal With Jazz

July 27th, 2022 at 2:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JULY 27: After formally parting ways this week with Baskonia, Fontecchio has officially signed with the Jazz, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 17: Italian small forward Simone Fontecchio is signing a two-year, $6.25MM contract with the Jazz, Fontecchio’s agent Sam Goldfeder informs Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). News of the deal was first reported by Cesare Forgione of EuroDevotion.

Fontecchio is considered the top international free agent prospect at his position by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (via Twitter). Givony opines that Fontecchio possesses enough positional versatility to also play at shooting guard or power forward.

Fontecchio, then with Italian club Virtus Bologna, first declared for the 2015 NBA draft before ultimately withdrawing his name from consideration. He worked out for the Celtics, then led by current Jazz president Danny Ainge, during that initial process in 2015. He later went undrafted in 2017.

The 6’8″ wing most recently joined Spanish club Baskonia for the 2021/22 season. During 31 ACB League contests with Baskonia, he averaged 12.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 1.7 APG. The 26-year-old also posted shooting splits of .465/.410/.851 last season.

Fontecchio has also suited up for Italian clubs Olimpia Milano and Reggio Emila and German team Alba Berlin.

EuroHoops reports that Fontecchio’s three-year contract with Baskonia includes an exit clause, expiring this month, that allows him to sign with an NBA team. EuroHoops adds that the Lakers had also been considering tendering an offer to Fontecchio.

Thanks to their trade of All-Star center Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves and current rumblings that All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell could be next, the Jazz have been quite active during the 2022 offseason. That said, the Fontecchio signing will mark the team’s first actual free agent addition this year.

Utah will likely use a portion of its mid-level exception to sign Fontecchio.

Hardy Getting To Know His Players

July 26th, 2022 at 6:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

New Jazz coach Will Hardy has spent a lot of his time this month getting acquainted with the players on the current roster, he told Tony Jones of The Athletic. “The conversations with the players, they have been great,” the former Celtics assistant said. “I’ve talked to all of our guys, and some in person. My expectation is to get to know each other as people before we get to know each other as co-workers. I want us to create and develop trust with each other. We want an environment of honesty with each other.”

Jazz, Knicks, Pacers Have Talked To Lakers About Westbrook

July 25th, 2022 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz, Knicks, and Pacers are among the teams that have spoken to the Lakers about possible trades involving point guard Russell Westbrook and draft assets, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Lakers don’t appear to be close to making a deal with any of those teams, according to Charania, who notes that Westbrook trade talks could continue to take place over the remaining couple months of the offseason.

Because the cap hit on Westbrook’s expiring contract is so substantial ($47MM+), any team that acquires him would almost certainly have to send out at least two sizable contracts of its own. And since few teams can put together a package to match Westbrook’s salary without including at least one productive rotation player, potential trade partners are asking the Lakers for draft compensation in return for taking on Westbrook, who is coming off a disappointing year in Los Angeles.

The Lakers and Pacers have reportedly spoken about Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, but L.A. has been unwilling to meet Indiana’s asking price, which is believed to be two first-round picks. According to Bob Kravitz of The Athletic, the Lakers offered Westbrook, one first-rounder, and two second-round selections for Hield and Turner.

While they continue to gauge Donovan Mitchell‘s value on the trade market, the Jazz could offer some combination of veterans like Mike Conley ($22.68MM), Bojan Bogdanovic ($19.55MM), Jordan Clarkson ($13.34MM), and Rudy Gay ($6.18MM) in a deal for Westbrook and draft picks. Malik Beasley and Patrick Beverley are also potential Utah trade candidates who have eight-figure cap hits, though neither can be aggregated in a trade until September 6.

The Knicks’ possible high-priced trade candidates, meanwhile, include Julius Randle ($23.76MM), Evan Fournier ($18MM), Derrick Rose ($14.52MM), and Cam Reddish ($5.95MM), though the team would be more willing to move some of those players than others, and wouldn’t want to compromise its pursuit of Mitchell by jumping the gun on a separate deal involving Westbrook.

Marc Stein previously reported that Utah and New York were both considered by league executives to be possible landing spots for Westbrook. However, Stein suggested that the Jazz and Knicks were probably only viable trade partners for the Lakers if a Mitchell trade got done first — especially if Mitchell ended up in New York.

The thinking among those execs, Stein explained, is that the Knicks may look to move Randle and his long-term contract if they acquire Mitchell. The Jazz, on the other hand, would presumably be pivoting to a full-scale rebuild and would be open to trading more veterans for draft assets and cap flexibility if Mitchell is no longer on their roster.

It’s unclear if any of the Jazz, Knicks, or Pacers would keep Westbrook on their roster if they were to acquire him, or if they’d simply buy him out. Draft picks and/or future cap room would be the main motivators for any team trading for Westbrook.

Latest On Donovan Mitchell

July 25th, 2022 at 7:38am CST by Luke Adams

While the Knicks continue to be viewed as the frontrunners to trade for Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic that talks between the two teams have moved slowly so far. New York and Utah remain far from an agreement, Charania adds.

As Charania explains, with three guaranteed years remaining on Mitchell’s contract and approximately two months until training camps begin, Utah has plenty of time to gauge the trade market and evaluate the best offers for the All-Star guard, so the club isn’t operating with a sense of urgency at this point.

Since word broke that the Jazz are open to inquiries on Mitchell, the Knicks have frequently been mentioned as his primary suitor, but they’re far from the only team in the mix, according to Charania.

Sources tell The Athletic that the Heat, Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Hawks, and Kings have all registered some level of interest in the 25-year-old.

Mitchell hasn’t requested a trade and hasn’t pushed to leave Utah, says Charania. However, if the Jazz were to shift into full-fledged rebuilding mode, he would prefer to end up with a contender, per Charania.

Utah’s Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale trades earlier this offseason signaled that a rebuild could be on the horizon for the team. Still, it remains possible that the Jazz could use some of the draft assets acquired in those deals to trade for win-now help with the intent of retooling around Mitchell. The roster still features veterans like Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Patrick Beverley, and Malik Beasley, so it’s not as if Utah has engaged in a full tear-down yet.

What Can Utah Expect From Leandro Bolmaro?

July 23rd, 2022 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Strong showings by Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker in the Las Vegas Summer League may have eased any concerns the Trail Blazers have about front court depth, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.

Watford, who signed a two-way contract with Portland last summer and was converted to a standard deal in February, was outstanding late in the season when injuries to teammates pushed him into a more prominent role. He remained productive in Las Vegas, averaging 13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game as the Blazers captured the Summer League title.

Walker didn’t have flashy statistics in Vegas, but he showed he can be a valuable role player, Fentress states. Walker rebounded, played defense, set screens and did other things that will be necessary for him to earn consistent minutes in the NBA.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Trail Blazers shooting guard Keon Johnson also stood out during Summer League, Fentress adds. Johnson, who was acquired from the Clippers in February, looked like a former first-round pick, leading Portland’s squad in scoring at 14.2 PPG. Fentress doesn’t expect Johnson to be part of the rotation this season, barring injuries, but said he could see spot duty.
Although Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has found a new home with the Nuggets, who gave him a two-year extension last week, he didn’t expect to be traded by the Wizards, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post. It marked the second straight offseason that Caldwell-Pope has been part of a significant trade. “My initial reaction was surprise because what me and my team and the Washington Wizards was talking about and communicating was different,” he said. “It was a surprise.”
Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune examines what the Jazz can expect from Leandro Bolmaro, who was part of the return in the Rudy Gobert trade. Bolmero, a 21-year-old swingman, is a 2020 first-round pick who made his NBA debut last season with the Timberwolves. Larsen notes that Bolmaro is an outstanding defender and a capable rebounder and playmaker, but there are questions about his ability to score.

Knicks Notes: Tampering, Brunson, Wright, Fournier, Rose, Mitchell

July 23rd, 2022 at 8:29am CST by Dana Gauruder

There is a strong possibility the NBA will open up a tampering investigation into the Knicks’ recruitment of Jalen Brunson, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz. A rival team doesn’t necessarily need to file official tampering charges to make it happen, considering that reports of an agreement between the Knicks and Brunson surfaced before the two sides could negotiate. The Knicks also made salary-shedding moves with the confidence Brunson would come aboard if they opened up enough cap room.

We have more on the Knicks:

Brunson’s college coach, Jay Wright, said the former Villanova star will embrace the pressure of playing in New York City, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes. “He is very comfortable in having all that pressure on him,” Wright said of Brunson. “When Luka [Doncic] was out, he was very comfortable taking on that responsibility in the playoffs. But he’s really smart and he really knows that he needs good players around him, too. His basketball IQ is off the charts. He will look at the game like a coach and a general manager. His ego doesn’t get in the way. But he’ll never shy from the responsibility. He loves it.”
If the Knicks don’t trade RJ Barrett or Julius Randle in a blockbuster deal for Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, then either Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier would have to be dealt for salary-matching purposes. SNY TV’s Ian Begley looks at potential combinations of players that the Knicks could send out to Utah.
Mitchell may be one of the top 10 offensive talents in the league but he’s not considered a top-10 player overall due to his defensive shortcomings. The Ringer’s Dan Devine explores whether Mitchell is the right star for the Knicks to pursue.

And-Ones: Paschall, J. Young, Egan, History Of Star Trades

July 22nd, 2022 at 7:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Eric Paschall, who spent last season with the Jazz but wasn’t extended a qualifying offer, thus making him an unrestricted free agent, is reportedly drawing interest from Greek club Panathinaikos, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. In reference to a tweet claiming he was “going to Europe,” Paschall said that was “false news” (Twitter link).

Of course, a team being interested in a free agent is different than a player being open to going overseas. The 6’6″ forward had a productive rookie season in 2019/20 with the Warriors as they dealt with major injuries to their stars and finished with just a 15-50 record, but has seen his role reduced significantly the past two years.

In 58 games (12.7 MPG) with Utah last season, Paschall averaged 5.8 PPG and 1.8 RPG on .485/.370/.767 shooting. Tony Jones of The Athletic reported last month that the 25-year-old was expected to draw interest on the open market — apparently that includes EuroLeague teams as well.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Former first-round pick James Young has re-signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv, the Israeli team announced (on Twitter) today (hat tip to Sportando). Young appeared in a total of 95 NBA games with the Celtics and Sixers from 2014-18, but only averaged 8.5 MPG. Last season with the Israeli side he averaged 17.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 1.1 SPG on .451/.318/.750 shooting in 21 games (28.2 MPG).
Johnny Egan, a former head coach and player for the Rockets, has passed away, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Egan was 83 years old. He played 11 NBA seasons from 1961-1972, averaging 7.8 PPG and 3.0 APG. He then made an immediate transition to coaching, guiding the Rockets for parts of four seasons from 1972-76. “He was a down-to-Earth guy,” said former Rockets player Major Jones, who became a longtime friend of Egan. “He cared a lot about former players and was always willing to help former players. If something needed to be done, he’d be there. He always cared a lot about people. He was just a fantastic person.” Our condolences go out to Egan’s friends and family.
Tim Bontemps, Kevin Pelton and Matt Williams of ESPN examine some of the biggest star trades in recent NBA history. According to ESPN’s trio, the Pelicans received more trade equity than any other team over the past two decades when they moved Anthony Davis to the Lakers in 2019. I’m sure the Lakers would be happy to make that trade again, however, as they won the title in Davis’ first year in Los Angeles.

Trade Rumors: Lakers, Pacers, Vanderbilt, Durant, Knicks

July 22nd, 2022 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Talks between the Lakers and Pacers about a trade that would include Russell Westbrook, Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, and other assets are currently dead, a source tells Bob Kravitz of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kravitz adds that those discussions could reignite if the Lakers add another first-round pick to their offer, but he says they’re currently at a standstill.

Kravitz’s wording suggests L.A. is only willing to attach one of its two tradable first-rounders (2027 and 2029) to Westbrook in exchange for Hield and Turner, so it’s not surprising that the Pacers aren’t interested.

As we noted earlier this week, if the Lakers want to try to acquire just one of Hield or Turner, there are ways to construct a deal using Talen Horton-Tucker ($10.26MM) and Kendrick Nunn ($5.25MM) instead of Westbrook’s $47MM expiring deal for outgoing salary purposes. But acquiring both Pacers veterans would mean including Westbrook and would require a substantial package of draft assets.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who suggested last week that Jarred Vanderbilt is drawing trade interest, said on the latest episode of his podcast that “a lot of teams” have called the Jazz about the 23-year-old forward. “I don’t know the number. I don’t really have any specific teams that I’ve heard of,” Fischer said, per HoopsHype. “But last I (heard), he was the guy who’s getting the most calls, the most incoming calls of all the (Jazz) players.”
Given that no team is willing to meet the Nets‘ sky-high asking price for Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today on Thursday (video link) that he’s waiting for one of two things to happen: Brooklyn to lower that asking price, or Durant to be pulled off the trade market. There has been no indication that either one of those moves is imminent, Windhorst adds.
As the Knicks pursue a possible Donovan Mitchell deal, it’s important that they consider what pieces would be left over, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Besides not wanting to sacrifice too many players who could play alongside Mitchell, the Knicks will also want to retain enough assets to potentially be able to trade for another star within a couple years, since Mitchell alone wouldn’t make them a title contender, Katz says.

Jazz Notes: Butler, Mitchell, Morrison, Summer League

July 21st, 2022 at 5:28pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Second-year Jazz shooting guard Jared Butler is facing a pivotal 2022/23 season, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Drafted with the No. 40 pick in 2021 out of Baylor, Butler was signed by Utah to a two-year deal. To justify a qualifying offer from Jazz management next summer, Jones writes, Butler will have to earn a rotation spot, which isn’t a given even if All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell is dealt before or during the year.

During his rookie season, Butler averaged just 3.8 PPG, 1.5 APG and 1.1 RPG in 42 games (8.6 MPG), and his 2022 Summer League output was inconsistent. Butler, listed at 6’3″ (though Jones estimates his height as being closer to 6’1″), had trouble in a variety of facets on offense, especially when it came to creating enough space between himself and his defender to effectively score. Jones does note that Butler has improved in the pick-and-roll.

There’s more out of Salt Lake City:

As the Jazz continue to contemplate trades centered around Mitchell, Tim MacMahon of ESPN (YouTube video link) posits that the team should move on from its lone remaining All-Star in the near future so that new head coach Will Hardy is free to operate with a team in full rebuild mode. “Let’s be honest, the Jazz don’t want 34-year-old first-time head coach Will Hardy to go into training camp and have the Donovan Mitchell saga, the Donovan Mitchell drama, dominate the storyline on a day-to-day basis,” MacMahon said. Mitchell has four years and $134.9MM remaining on his current contract.
The Jazz will be adding a new member to their extended coaching staff. Scott Morrison, who coached NBL squad the Perth Wildcats during the 2021/22 season and was on Boston’s staff alongside Hardy, will serve as the new head coach for Utah’s NBAGL club, the Salt Lake City Stars, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Morrison was previously the head coach of the Celtics’ G League club, then known as the Maine Red Claws (now the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League), from 2014-17. He was honored as the NBA G League Coach of the Year in 2015 for his efforts.
Several developing Jazz players had intriguing Summer League turns this year. Sarah Todd of the Deseret News unpacks the performances of Utah’s young Summer League competitors, including second-year players Butler and Leandro Bolmaro, new two-way player Johnny Juzang, and veteran 7’6″ center Tacko Fall.

Trade Breakdown: Royce O’Neale To Nets

July 21st, 2022 at 8:54am CST by Rory Maher

This is the fifth installment in our series breaking down the major trades of the 2022 offseason. As opposed to giving out grades, this series will explore why the teams were motivated to make the moves. Let’s dive into a deal just before free agency opened between the Nets and Jazz…

In a deal that got lost in the shuffle amid other major NBA news — namely Kevin Durant requesting a trade out of Brooklyn — the Nets acquired Royce O’Neale from the Jazz in exchange for either the Nets‘, Rockets’, or Sixers’ 2023 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable).

The Nets used an $11.3MM traded player exception to take on O’Neale’s salary without having to send any back in return.

The Nets’ perspective:

Why would the Nets give up a first-round pick for a player who has averaged fewer than seven points per game (6.9 PPG) since he became a full-time starter three years ago?

While it’s true that O’Neale isn’t much of a scorer, he brings plenty of other qualities to the table that make him an attractive role player for a team trying to win right now. He scores very efficiently when he does take shots (which is admittedly pretty rare), posting a .446/.384/.803 slash line over the last three seasons, good for a 59.6% true shooting percentage.

He generally makes good decisions when he has the ball, posting a 2.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio over the last three years, well above-average for a forward, and he’s always willing to make the extra pass for a better look. O’Neale also finds creative ways to be effective on offense, like setting unexpected, bone-crushing back-screens and then slipping to the rim for layups.

O’Neale is a solid rebounder, pulling down 5.7 boards in 30.6 MPG over that same time period. He also has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time, which is something that doesn’t show up in statistics but is noticeable if you’re specifically tracking a player’s movements.

Much of O’Neale’s value for the Jazz was tied into his willingness to do the dirty work. He was frequently tasked with defending the opposing team’s best non-center, and while his results in that area were mixed, it’s hard not to admire his determination.

O’Neale has been an extremely durable player since 2018, only missing seven total games over the last four seasons, which must have been an attractive attribute for the Nets, given all the games their key players have missed the past few years. He’s also on a reasonable contract, earning $9.2MM in 2022/23, with his $9.5MM salary for ’23/24 partially guaranteed for $2.5MM.

The 29-year-old’s NBA success is a testament to his self-awareness – O’Neale knows exactly who he is as a player, and he doesn’t try to do things he’s not capable of, as he told Brian Lewis of The New York Post a couple of weeks ago.

“(I’ll help) any way I can,” he said. “Just try to be the guy I’ve been doing, not be anyone I’m not. But I know what got me here and what’s going to keep me being here, so just learning any way I can and doing what I got to do offensively and defensively.”

Having said all that, out of all the trades made this offseason, I found this to be the most perplexing one, at least from Brooklyn’s side of things.

Watching O’Neale get repeatedly roasted by Jalen Brunson in Utah’s first-round loss to Dallas made it clear that his defense has fallen off a bit. It’s not like O’Neale was ever a lockdown defender to begin with, either. He’s an undersized forward at 6’4″ and isn’t the NBA’s quickest player, but he uses his length (6’9″ wingspan) and strength (226 pounds) well to do his best to deter opponents.

What he lacked in physical attributes O’Neale always made up for with determined effort and toughness. He rarely had much help on the perimeter, as Utah’s defenses were always anchored by the interior presence of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

What makes this deal especially confusing to me is the Nets already had a better all-around player in Bruce Brown and reportedly didn’t even make him an offer in free agency – he joined the Nuggets via the taxpayer mid-level exception. O’Neale, on the other hand, is older than Brown and will make more money than him over the next couple of seasons, although Brown’s deal is fully guaranteed in ’23/24 and O’Neale’s isn’t.

While O’Neale is a much more proven shooter than Brown and has more experience playing the two forward spots, Brown is more athletic with a strong, stout build, so it’s not like he’d be a liability defending up a position or two – he did it a lot last season as is.

Maybe the Nets like O’Neale’s veteran presence and think he can help turn around the team’s culture, which general manager Sean Marks has said would be a point of emphasis going forward. They certainly must have been drawn to his playoff experience, even if the Jazz failed to advance past the second round during O’Neale’s tenure.

I still believe O’Neale is a solid player on a fair contract with bounce-back potential, and a likely late first-round pick in 2023 doesn’t do anything in the present for a team that’s trying to win the championship, so in that sense it’s an easily digestible win-now move. I’m just not sure that a player coming off a down season in the area that he’s built his reputation (defense) on was a worthwhile gamble with that asset – we’ll see how it plays out next season.

On the other hand, I did like the Nets’ free agency moves of taking fliers on T.J. Warren and Edmond Sumner, both of whom missed all of last season while recovering from injuries, but are reportedly fully healthy. I also like the collection of young players the Nets have assembled with their recent draft picks, and Marks and the front office have consistently found talent in the rough, so maybe O’Neale will be another one, even if the circumstances are a lot different.

The Jazz’s perspective:

Utah’s reasoning for making the move was a lot easier to understand.

Plain and simple, the Jazz had topped out. Last year’s club disappointed on many levels. Utah was still a good team, don’t get me wrong – making the playoffs every season is no easy task, no matter how some might try to downplay it.

But the writing was on the wall. Being in the luxury tax with no draft equity and no real young players to build around sans Donovan Mitchell (who is on a maximum-salary contract and has his share of flaws) made the Jazz’s roster construction untenable.

You can only run things back so many times before everyone realizes that your window has closed. Perhaps that happened in 2021, when the Jazz posted an NBA-best 52-20 record in the regular season, only fall to the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs after blowing a 2-0 series lead and after Kawhi Leonard tore his ACL in Game 4 of the series (they also blew a 22-point halftime lead in Game 6, the series clincher).

That deflating series loss had a detrimental impact on the Jazz in multiple ways that carried over into last season, when they imploded late in games by blowing several large leads in fourth quarters. They had one of the best net ratings in the league – third overall – despite their solid but unspectacular record of 49-33, and when they were rolling, they were really good. But there was never a sense that things would turn things around after a midseason slump that was unfortunately caused, at least in part, by COVID-19 absences.

Which leads us back to trading O’Neale for a 2023 first-rounder. Change was inevitable for the Jazz. O’Neale being dealt just happened to be the first domino to topple.

NBA teams are always looking for “3-and-D” players that don’t need the ball to be effective to supplement star players. O’Neale fits that mold when he’s playing well.

President Danny Ainge is a notoriously difficult negotiator, but Utah’s asking price for O’Neale was obviously any type of first-round pick, perhaps for 2023, perhaps not, and Brooklyn met that asking price. Gaining a decent draft asset for a player coming off a down season defensively is definitely a good return for the Jazz.

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