The Utah Jazz are a frontcourt-heavy team. They have about 3-4 big men capable of producing usable numbers if given sufficient minutes, which means that unless a trade happens to free things up there, some frustrating minutes-based limitations are in the cards. That said, the Jazz have a nice balance of productive veterans and up-and-coming players ready to make an impact on fantasy basketball whenever the NBA starts again.
Depth chart:
PG: Devin Harris, Earl Watson*, Ronnie Price*
SG: Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Raja Bell
SF: C.J. Miles, Andrei Kirilenko*
PF: Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, Jeremy Evans
C: Al Jefferson, Enes Kanter, Mehmet Okur, Kyrylo Fesenko*, Francisco Elson*
* unrestricted free agent
Relevant fantasy players and their projected draft positions/per-game stats:
– Al Jefferson, PF/C (Rd. 1): 50% FG, 75% FT, 19.5 Pts, 10 Reb, 1.7 Ast, 0.7 Stl, 2 Blk, 1.5 TO
– Paul Millsap, PF (Rd. 4): 50% FG, 75% FT, 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 2 Ast, 1.5 Stl, 1 Blk, 1.5 TO
– Devin Harris, PG (Rd. 8): 43% FG, 80% FT, 1.3 Threes, 14.5 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 5.5 Ast, 1 Stl, 2.7 TO
– Andrei Kirilenko, SF/PF (Rd. 9): 45% FG, 75% FT, 0.5 Threes, 10 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2.5 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 1.5 TO
– C.J. Miles, SG/SF (Rd. 10): 43% FG, 80% FT, 1.5 Threes, 13.5 Pts, 3 Reb, 1.7 Ast, 1 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 1.3 TO
– Gordon Hayward, SG/SF (Rd. 11+): 48% FG, 75% FT, 10.5 Pts, 1.5 Threes, 2.3 Reb, 1.7 Ast, 0.7 Stl, 1.5 TO
– Derrick Favors, PF (Rd. 12+): 50% FG, 60% FT, 8.7 Pts, 6 Reb, 1 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 1.3 Blk, 1 TO
Sleeper:
Hayward
Most likely to surprise:
Favors
Most likely to disappoint:
Millsap
Category specialists:
– Threes: Miles, Hayward
– Steals: Millsap
– Blocks: Jefferson
Things to consider:
– How minutes are distributed for the crowded frontcourt
– If Kirilenko is re-signed
Team’s statistical NBA ranks from 2010-11:
– Pts: T-14th
– FGM: T-13th
– FGA: T-20th
– FG%: 9th
– FT%: 9th
– 3PTM: 24th
– Reb: 26th
– Ast: T-4th
– TO: T-19th
– Stl: 7th
– Blk: T-2nd
– Pace: 17th
– Offensive Efficiency: 14th
– Defensive Efficiency: 24th
Throughout the season, be sure to leave your questions, comments, concerns, trade offers, roster problems and more in the comments below.
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