The NBA never sleeps, and it looks like the Utah Jazz aren’t messing around. They are building and sculpting the team for the next season. Part of that is just resigning Johnny Juzang. Restricted free agent guard has just signed a four-year deal to keep the same jersey with a $12 million deal.
Juzang had a very successful year at UCLA and made the Final Four back in 2021 when he had a two-way contract. Over the last two seasons, he has been working hard playing for the Salt Lake City Stars and the Jazz’s G League.
Johnny Juzang keeping Utah Jazz jersey
All his hard work has paid off, as noticed by Jazz coach Will Hardy:
I’m very proud of the work that Johnny’s done. He hasn’t gotten a ton of credit for the last two years because he hasn’t gotten as much time with us as maybe he’s wanted, but he’s stayed ready.
In the last 17 games of last season, he rotated off the bench and averaged 8.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Johnny is really known for shooting beyond the arc. He averages almost 50% for three points with 4.3 attempts per game. The Jazz could be showing their hand in what they have planned for this year. Johnny is a killer from the outside. However, who the face of the franchise is and if it’s Lauri Markkanen are still unknown.
Possible lineup implications
Johnny Juzang, the Jazz, could be tipping their trade toe in the pool to see if anyone bites with the mindset of keeping Lauri in the center and using Juzang more on the outside to balance the court. With Markkanen’s future still in the gray, the Jazz could be planning to have Johnny on the outside. With their current starting center, John Collins, the lastest re-signing will probably come off the bench and play with Walker Kessler on the inside. It seems that the combination of Walker and Johnny may also be unlikely. The Jazz have been asking for what they would get for Lauri and even hinting at adding Kessler to sweeten the deal.
Walker trade rumors
If the Jazz lose Kessler, they must be planning a third or fourth move to fill the hole in the center. Right now, the Jazz could be working on a trade for Walker to the Lakers, Pistons, or Knicks. If Kessler goes to Los Angeles, the Utah Jazz could get Cam Reddish, Maxwell Lewis, or a lottery-protected 2026 first-round pick. Cam and Lewis are forwards, so they might be checking to see about filling Markkanen’s size 48 shoes.
If the Jazz trade with the Pistons, they will get Jaden Ivey. Jaden is a guard, so Utah may be building a deeper team with two or three more changes still coming. The last offer we know of is with the Knicks, and if that trade goes through, Mitchell Robinson will be wearing a Jazz jersey. Mitchell is a center, and if he comes to Salt Lake City, he will be the big man in the center, balancing out the roaster.
Now that the Utah Jazz have secured a fantastic three-point shooter for the second or third-round player rotation, Could the Jazz now want to keep Lauri as a forward and get another center? With Johnny being signed on, we can guess which way they might be going, whether it be strengthening their inside, adding more shooters, adding another man on the inside, or investing in trades for the future.
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