[brid autoplay=”true” video=”793842″ player=”23231″ title=”Sports%20Illustrated's%20Chris%20Mannix%20says%20don't%20rule%20out%20Danny%20Ainge%20to%20the%20Utah%20Jazz%20front%20office” duration=”63″ description=”Carolyn Manno asks Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated if Danny Ainge’s time in the NBA is really done, following his near two decades leading the Boston Celtics organization.” uploaddate=”2021-06-09″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/793842_t_1622759130.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/793842.mp4″]
The Utah Jazz finished with the best record in the NBA during the 2020-’21 season but fell apart in the playoffs once again. Heading into a summer that could see dramatic changes in the Western Conference, Utah might be open to its own roster shakeup.
Utah has largely deployed the same lineups in recent years, featuring Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley Jr., Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles. But frequent postseason exits are leading to changes, starting with the team parting ways with general manager Dennis Lindsey.
With Justin Zanik now running the show in Utah, a new voice could be looking to alter the roster that so often failed to get it done when in crunch time. While both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell are expected to stay, two other key contributors might be on the trade block.
According to Action Network’s Matt Moore, Utah is open to moving both Bogdanovic and Ingles this summer if a trade can deliver a significant return that will make a bigger impact in the playoffs.
- Utah Jazz record (2020-’21 season): 52-20, 31-5 home record, 21-15 road record
One key factor at play here is Conley’s future. The 33-year-old is one of the top NBA free agents this summer and there will be a robust market for the point guard’s services. But Utah wants to re-sign him and accomplishing that could lead to the roster largely remaining the same for the 2021-’22 season.
If Bogdanovic and Ingles became available, there would certainly be interest. Bogdanovic, age 32, averaged 17 ppg this past season and his 3-point shooting would make him a coveted target for several contenders. While Ingles only averaged 12.1 ppg this year, he shot 35.1% from beyond the arc.
There’s still plenty of time for the Jazz to decide what direction they want to go this offseason. Running it back is an option, but patience is wearing thin in Utah and the conference isn’t getting weaker anytime soon.