The Jazz‘s matchup with the Heat on Thursday gave them a first-hand look at the sort of player they envision as a model for third-year wing Johnny Juzang, writes Kevin Reynolds of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Head coach Will Hardy referred to Heat forward Duncan Robinson as the “poster boy” for the type of unheralded prospect who earns a spot in the NBA with his reliable three-point shooting and length on defense. Like Robinson, Juzang went undrafted out of college, and Hardy said this week that he spoke to the former UCLA standout when he arrived in Utah about how he could stick in the NBA.
“We had a pretty honest conversation about what I felt like he needed to do to make it,” Hardy said. “He was sort of an all-around scorer in college, had the ball a lot. Johnny has two really great gifts. He can really shoot and he is in really good shape. We felt like him becoming a real threat from the three-point line, and making that the centerpiece, would allow him to stick.”
Juzang played sparingly while on a two-way contract during his first two seasons with the Jazz, appearing in just 38 total contests. But he showed enough to earn a multiyear deal this past offseason that includes a guaranteed $3.1MM salary in 2024/25.
The remaining three seasons on the 23-year-old’s contract are non-guaranteed, so he’ll have to continuing proving to Utah’s front office that he deserves his roster spot. He’s off to a promising start this season, having averaged 7.3 points per game with a .400 3PT% through 32 appearances (17.8 MPG), including 9.2 PPG with a .446 3PT% since the start of December.
Here’s more on the Jazz:
- Juzang missed Saturday’s game in Phoenix due to a fracture in his right hand, but the club doesn’t believe that injury will require a lengthy absence. As Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune relays (via Twitter), the Jazz stated that once the inflammation subsides, they “anticipate he will be able to play with the fracture as pain tolerates.”
- Saturday’s 13-point performance against Phoenix was a promising sign for rookie Cody Williams, who has badly struggled offensively in the first half of the season, Larsen writes for The Tribune (subscription required). Williams’ ball-handling and footwork still need work, but he has shown good touch near the basket out to about 15 feet, Larsen observes. His 13 points on Saturday represented a career high and he was a plus-7 across 22 minutes in a game Utah lost by eight points.
- Elijah Harkless, who signed a two-way contract with Utah at the start of January, made his NBA debut on Saturday vs. the Suns, Larsen notes in the same story. While Harkless has been shooting the ball well this season in the G League, making 40.8% of his three-pointers, he’s best known for his defense. Asked last week by Larsen to introduce his game to Jazz fans, Harkless replied, “I’m competitive. Best on-ball defender on the planet.” He went scoreless with four rebounds in nine minutes on Saturday.
- In case you missed it in our Community Shootaround discussion on Saturday, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was among the players labeled by scouts and executives who spoke to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link) as one of the season’s disappointments so far. “He’s probably not super motivated because the team is tanking,” one executive said of Markkanen, who signed a long-term extension with Utah in August. “But his numbers and his overall level is down across the board.”
Markkanen’s offense has regressed to the historical mean set by 5 previous seasons in CHI and CLE.
His numbers improved dramatically his first 2 seasons in Utah. That got him a $50M/yr deal this summer. If Markkanen returns to the player he was before Utah, the Jazz are paying him twice what he’s worth.
Markannen intentionally signed one day after the deadline to still be traded I thought. Guess he and Utah wished now he still could be traded…
Wannes,
Markkanen signed a 5 year deal with a team that he knew was at the beginning of a rebuilding phase, even though he hasn’t seen a playoff game in his 7 year career. He says he signed because his young family loves Utah.
Markkanen has a chance to match the great Tom Van Arsdale as the “losingest player in NBA history” with a career of 12 seasons without a playoff appearance. This season will make it 8. His untradable contract ensures that Utah fans are treated to 4 years of Tom Van Arsdale comparisons.
Call it “The Markkanen Watch”.
I’m not to worried about Markkanen this year. The Jazz are tanking and he’s onboard with that.
The Jazz have some nice young prospects that are getting better. Some will need more time but the youth movement needs more time to secure the tank.
Overall, if the Jazz can secure a top 3-5 pick in the draft then I’d think all this losing will have been worth it. Some really nice prospects the Jazz desperately need this year.
BenBoy , yeah hopefully the Jazz can get a future starter from this year’s draft.
This Jazz rebuilt looks jinxed. The Hendricks injury was devastating. I’d been optimistic about Keynote George in his rookie year, but he’s been horrendous this season — soft, and no appetite for defense. I doubt the Jazz view him as a keeper. And Collier hasn’t shown anything. Other than Walker Kessler, the rebuild has brought no little if any value to date.
Assuming Utah can add their first promising player in this June’s draft, they’ll definitely need to tank next season and probably the year after as well. We may see the Jazz start trying to win games in the 2027-28 season.
I personally want them to continue to tank this year and again next year. Then fill in with vets and try to win that third year.
BenBoy , that makes sense. I go a step farther in saying they’ll need still another tanking season.
The problem with an extended rebuild is that it embeds losing so deeply that it can’t be overcome later. Young players will adapt to the pain of losing by not caring, and then focus only on their own numbers. That’s why you so often see the coach and front office turned over by the end of year 3 or 4.
Ainge and Hardy may have started the rebuild, but it doesn’t look like they’ll get to finish it.
I can see that happening. However, all a team really needs then is a passionate winner to change the culture. Many see that in Copper Flagg. I do as well. That’s why if the Jazz get Cooper then it’ll be harder to tank beyond this Summer.
Although, getting a guy like Cooper Flagg can possibly spark more interest from opposition, and teammates, to play alongside him. Plus, it can ignite a stronger desire to match his defensive energy. That usually means the team would improve in many ways faster.
Fingers crossed the Jazz get Cooper Flagg. Jazz fans deserve it.
Thanks, Aristotle! I know a lot of Jazz fans would love to have such a great competitor on the team.
Perhaps that’s why they haven’t traded Sexton? They still like his competitive fire. Cooper would help offset Sexton’s defense a bit. But you never know what will happen between now and then.