Injuries, inconsistent play may have unforeseen benefit for Jazz


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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz are just past the midway point of the season, and despite a 27-16 record, and a fifth-place ranking in the Western Conference, fans are left wondering what this team might look like if it were fully healthy.

Of the Jazz five regular starters, only Rudy Gobert has appeared in all 43 games. Of Utah's regular 15-man roster, only Gobert, Joe Ingles, Trey Lyles, Joe Johnson and Shelvin Mack have been available for every game this season.

Between Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, George Hill and Rodney Hood, the non-Gobert starters have missed a combined 52 games. That number is going to climb with Hood potentially missing the next several weeks with a hyperextended knee he suffered Saturday night against Orlando.

Of the key reserves, Alec Burks, Dante Exum and Boris Diaw have missed several games with various ailments.

In a season that has the Jazz trying to make the playoffs and prove that they’ve exited the rebuilding stage, injuries are a curse that could very realistically keep the Jazz from accomplishing their goals.

The results could be catastrophic if free-agent-to-be Hayward opts to sign with a more proven playoff contender, tired of waiting for this roster to get healthy, with the recently acquired Hill quickly following suit.

The good news for the Jazz is they looked poised for a competitive playoff run, and they may find themselves with home-court advantage in the first round if they can close the two-game gap by which they trail the Los Angeles Clippers for fourth place in the West.

At their current pace, the Jazz should have a realistic case for retaining the services of both players this summer.

But for Utah to remain competitive beyond this season, in addition to resigning both Hayward and Hill, the Jazz will need to find a way to keep as much of their core intact as possible. The team locked up a significant piece of that core earlier this year when they inked Gobert to a four-year, $100 million contract.

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Hayward will demand a max contract because he may be the top truly available free-agent target this offseason and will command more than $30 million a year this summer. Hill will likely look for a similar payday, which could hamstring the Jazz’ future.

Hill is currently 30 years old (he will turn 31 May 4), and he plays at the deepest position in the NBA, and with a series of injuries this year, the market simply might not be there for him to sign a full four-year max contract.

Beyond Hill, the Jazz will see Favors, Exum, Hood and Ingles all become eligible for extensions in the next two seasons.

At their peaks, Favors and Hood could be candidates for max extensions. Exum, as a top-five pick, still young enough to sign on his perceived potential, could sign an extremely lucrative deal as well. Ingles, as a top-five 3-point shooter in the NBA, with a newfound affinity for defense could find himself earning more than $10 million a season this summer.

If each of those players were to reach their potential, the Jazz simply couldn’t afford to pay them all. This is where injuries might come in handy.

Favors, coming off a knee injury has seen his statistics drop from significantly across the board from last season. Eligible to restructure his deal, having dealt with knee and back injuries during his young career, Favors and the Jazz could look to capitalize on longer-term guaranteed money and not risking making it to free agency with less than stellar numbers.

Though Favors nine-point, six-rebound, one-assist per game averages will surely rise over the rest of the season and a half, he isn’t anywhere near max contract numbers currently.

If Favors isn’t near a max contract currently, Exum isn’t in the max contract stratosphere. Though Exum’s per-minute statistics are up from his rookie season, his inconsistent play and inability to stay on the floor after returning from injury will likely keep him from earning an enormous payday in the summer of 2018.

Though it may be difficult to blame Hood’s recent play on injuries, having missed a total of nine games over the past season and a half, his production appears to have stagnated. While his rebounding numbers are up, his scoring and assist numbers are down, along with his shooting percentages across the board. Having entered the league at 22, if his numbers fail to progress, the lack of growth in his production could keep him from earning a max contract.

Developing young talent is tricky and hoping to keep those players around long term might be even trickier. Look no further than the Oklahoma City Thunder who miraculously drafted Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, Russell Westbrook and James Harden over three consecutive drafts. After one finals appearance, only Westbrook remains on the roster, with the Thunder losing Durant to free agency and having to trade off Ibaka and Harden for cap space.

While the Jazz will likely have to spend creatively to keep their roster intact, having only Hayward and Gobert develop into max level players currently could be a blessing in disguise. Though the Jazz would love to see All-Star level production from any of their young core, a series of injuries and inconsistent play may allow the Jazz to keep the band together beyond this season.


![Ben Anderson](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2556/255612/25561254\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Ben Anderson ------------------------------

Ben Anderson is the co-host of Gunther and Ben in the Afternoon with Kyle Gunther on 1320 KFAN from 3-7, Monday through Friday. Read Ben's Utah Jazz blog at 1320kfan.com, and follow him on Twitter @BenKFAN.

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