The Lakers’ decision to waive Dalton Knecht has opened a door, and the Jazz could walk through it if they want to.
Once Knecht clears waivers, teams such as Utah will be able to sign him to the cheapest possible deal. That’s the kind of low-cost swing that makes sense in today’s NBA, especially when the price is this low. Utah has not had any confirmed interest in him since the move, but the opportunity is there.
Knecht’s stock took a hard hit in Los Angeles, especially after his confidence was shaken by the Lakers’ deal to send him to Charlotte for Mark Williams. Still, he should find another chance somewhere, and when he does, it will say a lot about whether his fall was about fit, confidence, or something deeper.
For the Jazz, though, the fit is where the question starts to wobble. Knecht was billed as an NBA-ready shooter, and as cheap flyers go, that profile usually gets attention. But Utah already has two players who bring that same kind of value in Brice Sensabaugh and Svi Mykhailiuk.
Sensabaugh offers more than shooting, though that part of his game is a big reason he looks so polished on offense. Mykhailiuk isn’t as versatile as Sensabaugh, but he has settled in well since arriving in Utah and remains a proven option.
That’s why adding Knecht would be more of a duplicate than a solution. He’d be another shooting wing on a roster that already has that box covered, and the Jazz have more value in Sensabaugh and Mykhailiuk than Knecht currently does.
The only real reason this comes up is because Knecht once put together a big showing against Utah not too long ago. If the Jazz were the team to help him get his confidence back, maybe that outing would look less like a one-off.
But that’s still just a theory. If Utah brought him in, he’d be starting from Ground Zero.
In Other News...
Jazz Take Opening Night Flier On Former First Round Guard
The Jazz have used their newly opened two-way slot on a familiar kind of low-risk swing, bringing in guard Kobe Bufkin as the team continues to sort out the bottom of its roster. In a corresponding move, Utah waived two-way forward Blake Hinson, making room for Bufkin after a winding start to his NBA journey that has already taken him through Atlanta, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and New Orleans.
Bufkin arrives in Utah with the profile of a former first-round guard still trying to carve out a steady role, which makes him an interesting fit for a team willing to take a long look at younger talent. For the Jazz, the move keeps the two-way spot in play for development purposes, and it adds another backcourt name to watch as the organization keeps building out its depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Roster Move Creates A Tough New Bubble Decision
The Jazz are making another small but meaningful shuffle to their back end, with Kobe Bufkin agreeing to a two-way contract after being waived by the Pelicans. For Utah, it is the kind of roster move that can look minor on paper but matters plenty in the long view, especially when the team is sorting out which young players deserve developmental runway and which spots have to be used to keep flexibility intact.
To make room, Utah is expected to waive forward Blake Hinson, leaving his future tied to whether he clears waivers and lands on the open market. Bufkin arrives with one season on his deal, his final year of two-way eligibility, which gives the Jazz a chance to take a look at another young guard while also forcing a familiar roster-choice squeeze at the bottom of the bench. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Suddenly Look Smart For Avoiding A Risky Kristaps Porzingis Move
Kristaps Porzingis has long been the kind of talent teams talk themselves into because the upside is obvious and the price can feel reasonable in the moment. Utah was among the clubs with interest in him before he landed with Boston, where he helped win a title, and the kind of frontcourt gamble he represented has never been more complicated in hindsight.
Now, with questions surrounding his long-term health and what his future even looks like on a basketball court, that missed opportunity looks a lot less like a swing and more like a case of restraint. If he keeps playing, the next version of Porzingis may be something closer to a selective, part-time fit than a full-time centerpiece, which would put teams like Utah back in the conversation for a very different kind of pursuit. [Read more 🡒]