Fansided

20 things to look forward to this NBA offseason

By Bryan Toporek

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Arizona forward Deandre Ayton (13) reacts to a call during the championship game of the mens Pac-12 Tournament between the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats on March 10, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Arizona forward Deandre Ayton (13) reacts to a call during the championship game of the mens Pac-12 Tournament between the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats on March 10, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 21
Next
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MAY 6: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets during Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2018 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MAY 6: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets during Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2018 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /

18. Do the Utah Jazz re-sign Derrick Favors and/or Dante Exum?

The Utah Jazz were one of the NBA’s best surprises in 2017-18. Despite losing Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics, the Jazz still made it to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs thanks in large part to Rudy Gobert and star rookie Donovan Mitchell.

Heading into free agency, Utah now may face difficult decisions with Derrick Favors (unrestricted) and Dante Exum (restricted).

On paper, it would make far more sense for the Jazz to pair Gobert with a stretch 4 such as Nikola Mirotic rather than Favors, who has hit only 18 triples across his eight-year NBA career. However, Utah outscored opponents by 7.2 points per 100 possessions when the two bigs shared the court during the regular season and 10.9 per 100 in the playoffs.

“I want to be here,” Favors told Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune in mid-May. “I love my teammates, I love the organization. This is where I grew up. At the same time, I know that if I’m going to be here, there are certain sacrifices that I’m going to have to make.”

While Favors may price himself out of Utah, Exum’s lengthy injury history may reduce the chances of him receiving a big-money offer sheet. Between the torn ACL that caused him to miss the entire 2015-16 season and the separated shoulder that limited him to only 14 regular-season games this past year, the soon-to-be 23-year-old remains somewhat of a mystery heading into restricted free agency.

One front office executive suggested to Sean Deveney of Sporting News that Exum “could warrant a two-year deal in the range of $18-20 million (with an option for a third likely) to get him away from the Jazz.” Utah would then have two days to decide whether to match and keep him as a backup to Ricky Rubio or lose him for nothing.

Home/NBA