The Utah Jazz may be in the market for a new guard this offseason.
They’ll be dealing with potential turnover at the position, as both Kris Dunn and Talen Horton-Tucker enter unrestricted free agency later in the summer, along with longtime Jazzman Jordan Clarkson’s status looming on the trade market. Combine this with Utah’s projected $38 million in cap space, and we could see this team opt to spend a few dollars in the backcourt ahead of next season.
The Jazz have an already strong core starting at guard, which was held down by rookie Keyonte George and Collin Sexton last season, but they could still benefit from a few depth or connecting pieces to help fill out the rotation.
With that, here’s three names to watch on the free agency market for the Jazz to sign during the 2024 offseason:
Tyus Jones, Washington Wizards
A hot name across the most recent trade deadline, Jones would be an awesome fit for the Jazz this summer at the right cost.
The Washington Wizards guard may not check all of Utah’s boxes when it comes to size, standing just 6-foot-1, but Jones provides structure for a few of the Jazz’s outstanding needs they struggled in last season, especially on the offensive end.
One of the best traits Jones possesses is his elite efficiency as a playmaker. He started each of the 66 games he played in Washington this past season, averaging 7.3 assists on 1.0 turnovers per game. For a Jazz roster lacking a premier passer, along with a struggle in ball security, this is virtually a picture-perfect fit.
Jones put it together when scoring the ball, too. Even on a struggling Wizards team, he averaged 12 points on impressive 48.9/41.4/80.0 splits. He won’t be expected as the focal point of any offense, but being an effective floor spacer makes his fit as a signing even more appealing.
Having seemingly large interest at the deadline this February, it may be difficult to realistically land Jones in a market that could be highly-competitive. If available though, he needs to be on Utah’s radar.
Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic
The former first-overall selection in 2017 will hit the open market after spending his past five seasons with the Orlando Magic.I mentioned Fultz this past weekbeinga potentially strong fit as a signing for the Jazz, andI’m going topound the table again for him here.
Fultz has had to do a bit of reconstruction to his former playstyle while spending time in Orlando, not quite leaping into a top-scoring option, but he’s stood out as one of the best perimeter defenders on a team that was ranked the second-best defensive unit in the NBA this past season.
He battled a bit of injury, which placed him in only 43 games for his 2023-24 campaign, but averaged one steal a game and ranked top five on this roster for defensive box-plus-minus at 1.2. Sure, the shooting struggles and overall inconsistency are a concern, but the Jazz have enough offensive talent in the backcourt with Sexton and George to compensate for it.
For a team desperate for defensive repairs, Fultz could end up as a key piece for Utah in taking strides forward next season.
De’Anthony Melton, Philadelphia 76ers
We didn’t get to see much of Melton this past season, as his year was plagued by nagging back injuries that sidelined him for all but 38 games, but his addition to the Jazz could be just what this roster needs to bring in for their 2024-25 campaign.
He’s a 6-foot-2 guard possessing a 6-foot-8 wingspan who’s been a dangerous two-way threat for the Philadelphia 76ers acrossthe past two seasons. He’s averaged 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on a 41.1% rate from the field and 37.9% fromdeep,and could bring some much-needed defensive impact to a Jazz team that routinely struggled on that side of the ball.
He’s only 26 years old, so if Utah managed to dish out a long-term deal toward Melton’s way this summer, it could lock in a consistent option in the backcourt for the foreseeable future, whether it be as a starter or bench player. Still, Philadelphia may be itching to keep him around, so his acquisition could be easier said than done.
