The Utah Jazz may be entering a rebuild. The hiring of Will Hardy on a five-year deal to replace coach Quinn Snyder indicated this direction early. Jazz CEO Danny Ainge believes this is the right direction for the franchise.
They team has been trading key pieces to start the process. The Jazz have already traded Rudy Gobert and Royce O'Neale. According to The Athletic's Tony Jones, the Jazz are also shopping Mike Conley.
"I know that the Jazz has talked to teams about Mike Conley," Jones said in a Spotify Live conversation. "I don’t know how much of a market there is remaining for Mike Conley."
However, the catch here for teams interested in Conley is the salary. The guard will earn over $22 million for the upcoming NBA season. $14 million of $24 million for the 2023-24 season is also guaranteed. Many teams may consider the price tag too high for Conley.
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Why are the Utah Jazz heading into a rebuild?
The Utah Jazz have made it clear that every player on their roster is available. The exits of Gobert and O'Neale were perfect examples. Donovan Mitchell is the next asset that could fetch them a significant return.
The Jazz putting Conley on the market is no surprise. The Jazz acquired him in 2019, believing he could take them to the next level. The Jazz haven't been able to progress any further into the playoffs with him. As they turn towards retooling the roster, the Jazz may be able to swap him for draft picks.
Repeated postseason losses are why the Jazz are heading into a rebuild. Danny Ainge plans this rebuild after back-to-back first-round eliminations.
Many analysts thought the team would rebuild around either Mitchell or Gobert. The team, however, could move on from both.
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