Ancient Utah Jazz Backup center Omer Yurseven is attracting some interest around the league. According to NBA member Marc SteinTHE The New York Knicks I “auditioned” Yurtseven, but decided to go in a different direction.
“The Knicks recently auditioned free agent power forward Omer Yurtseven, among others, but did not choose to sign him.” – Marc Stein The Stein Line
It’s somewhat surprising that Yurtseven hasn’t found a job yet. He performed admirably in his first and only season with the Jazz. The three-year veteran averaged 4.6 points per game and 4.3 rebounds in 48 games.
Yurtseven came from the Miami Heat and signed a two-year contract to play in Salt Lake City, but was released after the 2023-24 season. Drew Eubanks, who was signed earlier this summer, will replace Yurtseven on the roster.
Eubanks signed a two-year, $10 million contract. However, the second year is not guaranteed. If Utah decides to make a trade to improve the roster mid-season, the expiring contract will come in handy. One wonders if this is why Utah decided to spend more money on Eubanks rather than keep Yurtseven on a cheaper contract.
The Jazz signed Eubanks, Sviatoslav Mykhailuk and Patty Mills this summer. Mykhailuk signed a four-year deal worth $15.05 million, but again, only the first year was guaranteed. Mills agreed to a one-year deal worth $3.3 million.
That’s a total of $11.8 million that could come off the books next summer. Those are attractive contracts for any team looking to shed salary next season.
Given that the Jazz are still in the early stages of their rebuild, it’s not guaranteed that a roster-boosting trade will be possible this offseason. However, Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is keeping options open if the opportunity presents itself.
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