NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 most puzzling contract decisions
By Connor Learn
1. Jazz sign Joe Ingles for four-years, $52 million
Joe Ingles was important for the Jazz when they employed Gordon Hayward. He complimented Hayward well on the court as a smart, low usage wing who moved the ball well and played sound defense. Off the court, he was one of Hayward’s closest friends on the team. When the Jazz made a generous offer to Ingles, the team surely hoped to build goodwill with Hayward by doing so. And now that Hayward has decided to sign with the Celtics, they are stuck with Ingles for the next four years.
Utah will remain competitive despite Hayward leaving. The team’s identity will remain the same as long as Quin Snyder is coaching and Rudy Gobert is the franchise cornerstone. The Jazz will be less dynamic without Hayward, which will cause them to double down on their slow, grinding pace. Finding sources of wing scoring next season will be their biggest challenge and ultimately determine if they are able to return to the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference.
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Ingles will now be less valuable as a result of Hayward’s departure. He is the type of intelligent role player that works best alongside high usage players. Ingles has shown the ability to create offense for others as a secondary ball handler, but creates few shots for himself. He may lose minutes to wings who are superior scorers next season: Rodney Hood, Alec Burks, Joe Johnson and rookie Donovan Mitchell. Add in the fact that Ingles will be 34-years-old by the end of this deal and it already isn’t a great contract for the post-Hayward Jazz.