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Sometimes it’s better just to get a good night’s rest and see where the chips fall in the morning. That was the Utah Jazz’s strategy while the NBA was going madhouse with almost 20 deals made—who says you can’t tamper?—just after midnight eastern. The Utah Jazz have a few meetings setup and it’s worth looking at what’s going on today?
Derrick Favors
The Utah Jazz have a meeting setup for 10am MT with Derrick Favors in Atlanta. No word yet if Donald Glover will be there, but Dennis Lindsey and staff will be there pitching Derrick Favors on what would most likely be this offseason’s contract du jour, the one year deal.
Jazz unrestricted free agent big man Derrick Favors will meet with the Jazz on the first day of free agency on Sunday in his hometown of Atlanta but currently has no other meetings with any other NBA teams set up, a source told ESPN's The Undefeated.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) July 1, 2018
The Utah Jazz will travel to Atlanta to meet with unrestricted free agent power forward Derrick Favors on Sunday afternoon, League Sources tell The Salt Lake Tribune.
— Tony Jones (@tribjazz) June 30, 2018
There are rumblings that no one else has a meeting with Derrick Favors at this time. Prompting many to speculate that Utah will most certainly be bringing the Power Forward back. The only competition would be Phoenix, but one would assume that scenario would only occur if Utah shows the wrong Dragon Ball Z/Derrick Favors mashup video at the presentation today.
Derrick Favors of the @utahjazz is expected to test the free-agent market, but both sides expect him to return to the Jazz, sources told Sporting News. If any team is willing to gamble on him, it could be the @Suns. But Phoenix is also looking at @Raptors PG Fred VanVleet.
— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) June 30, 2018
Dante Exum
Dante Exum does have a meeting with Utah, but his free agency could be further drawn out as his side goes hunting for a more lucrative deal. Utah holds a lot of the negotiating power with Exum, so it stands to reason that his team will go looking to other teams in order to raise his price. Most expect Exum to return to Utah—he’s only 22 years old and still has loads of potential—but many are unsure of what that looks like for Utah. Does Utah get him on a very team friendly contract or does some team come out of left field to force the Jazz’s hand on him?
The Utah Jazz have a meeting set up with restricted free agent point guard Dante Exum, league sources tell The Salt Lake Tribune. The Jazz have prioritized Exum in his first free agency. Sources say the Jazz would like to reach a deal with Exum
— Tony Jones (@tribjazz) July 1, 2018
SOME TEAM SHOULD THROW A WILD OFFER AT DANTE EXUM IMO
— Danny Chau (@dannychau) July 1, 2018
Expiring Contracts
The non-guaranteed contracts of Thabo Sefolosha, Jonas Jerebko, and Ekpe Udoh must have a decision by 11:59PM EST tonight. Sefolosha’s team has put out the requisite “he’s going to be back to playing soon” leaks to try to spur his free agency negotiations or get Utah to guarantee his contract for next season. For the most part, it would not be out of the realm of impossibility that all three are gone next season as Utah looks to return Derrick Favors and give second year player Tony Bradley more actual minutes.
Utah Jazz forward Thabo Sefolosha expects to be fully cleared for basketball activities within six weeks, League Sources tell The Salt Lake Tribune. Sefolosha has been out since January with an MCL injury
— Tony Jones (@tribjazz) June 30, 2018
Raul Neto
Neto feels like an insurance policy if some team tries to derail the Utah Jazz-Dante Exum contract negotiations or if Utah has an opportunity open up that requires them to part with Exum and Favors. Many expect Neto to return to Utah regardless, but he’ll be the last piece of Utah’s offseason to get a deal. His resolution could be in two weeks as a Woj firecracker rather than a Woj Bomb.
As free agency opens on July 1st, the Utah Jazz’s priority is to keep their three internal free agents Derrick Favors, Dante Exum and Raul Neto. “We have to match some notes and see if there’s three marriages, in this case, to be made,” said Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey. https://t.co/SxWZO0SdP9
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) June 29, 2018
Jabari Parker
This is an obligatory Jabari Parker blurb. Word is he is very much available and even Salt Lake City media is getting that news. Is there a bigger deal going on in the background? We’ll find out soon.
The Ersan Ilyasova $21M contract projects to put Milwaukee at $110M in salary and would hard cap the Bucks at $129.8M. The hard cap is a result of Ilyasova signing for part of the midlevel exception that exceeds $5.3M. The Bucks still have restricted free agent Jabari Parker.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 1, 2018
As free agency nears, continue to hear of all the big name restricted free agents, Milwaukee's Jabari Parker is truly available
— Tony Jones (@tribjazz) July 1, 2018