NBA Free Agency Open Thread

The wait is finally over. If you’re like me, you’ve been watching the clock tick ridiculously slow today. Not just because it’s Friday, but because free agency starts this evening! After what many might describe as a lackluster or unexciting draft night, I really look forward to seeing how the front office puts together the last few pieces of this roster.

As exciting as the new signings might be, the most important one will probably be for player(s) already on the roster. Will Donovan Mitchell sign a max extension immediately as has been reported? Is Rudy Gobert still angling for a supermax and what are the Jazz willing to pay?

Last year’s free agency was a very successful one for Utah. Bojan Bogdanovic was arguably the best or 2nd best free agent signing in franchise history. Media raved about the Ed Davis signing, which his fit was unfortunately poor. Jeff Green was a great thought as well that just didn’t pan out. And Emmanual Mudiay was honestly a pleasant surprise for most of the season.

Here’s how Utah’s salary cap situation looks at the moment:

Who will be targeted this year? The front office has made it very clear that bringing back Jordan Clarkson is a top priority. They potentially addressed the backup center spot via the draft, but it’s clear this team needs another rotational big. I would argue this should be a floor-stretching big from a roster construction standpoint. I think another wing defender would be valuable as well. After the salary dumps of Tony Bradley and Davis, the front office can potentially use the full MLE and the BAE depending on what they do in other moves or decisions with the non-guaranteed contracts on the payroll.

Buckle up Jazz fans! The bombs are about to start dropping!