The Utah Jazz are more than halfway through the season, and one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the center rotation isn’t cutting it. Jusuf Nurkic has taken on the starting role most nights, but behind him, the Jazz are relying heavily on Kevin Love and rookie Kyle Filipowski-neither of whom are natural fits at the five. It’s left a noticeable void in the paint, and so far, Utah hasn’t made a move to address it.
The need is obvious: the Jazz could use another big man. Not a star, not a game-changer-just a reliable, low-cost option who can give them quality minutes off the bench and allow Love and Filipowski to slide back into more comfortable roles at the four. That’s where someone like Nick Richards comes in.
Richards, currently with the Phoenix Suns, checks a lot of boxes for what the Jazz need. Through his first four NBA seasons, he’s averaged 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game.
He’s had stretches where he’s logged 20-plus minutes and held his own as a starting-caliber big. No one’s asking him to start in Utah, but as a reserve?
He could be a rock-solid option behind Nurkic.
Bringing in Richards would also allow the Jazz to maximize what they’re getting from Love and Filipowski. Both are more comfortable operating as stretch fours, spacing the floor and knocking down threes rather than banging in the post. With Richards anchoring the second unit, those two could get back to doing what they do best.
The good news for Utah is that Richards hasn’t seen much action in Phoenix this season-just 28 games so far-which could make him a realistic trade target. He’s not a core piece of the Suns’ rotation at the moment, and that opens the door for a team like the Jazz to swoop in.
And Utah has the assets to make it happen. The Jazz hold several second-round picks that could be appealing to Phoenix, especially considering the Suns don’t currently have second-rounders in multiple upcoming drafts.
In 2027, Utah owns two second-rounders-one from either Boston or Orlando, and another from the Clippers. In 2028, they’ve got a pick that could come from Detroit, Charlotte, the Clippers, Miami, or New York.
And in 2031, they hold a second-rounder from either Boston or Cleveland.
That kind of draft capital could be enough to get a deal done for a player like Richards, whose $5 million salary is expiring at the end of the season. It’s a low-risk move for Utah-one that doesn’t mess with the cap sheet heading into a summer where they’ll need to start thinking about extensions for young pieces like Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, and possibly Brice Sensabaugh.
There’s also the bigger-picture context. Yes, some might argue that bringing in a steady veteran like Richards runs counter to the Jazz’s quiet lean toward a rebuild.
But this isn’t a move that’s going to suddenly vault Utah into playoff contention or sabotage their lottery odds. Richards isn’t a needle-mover in the win-loss column-he’s a stabilizer.
And on nights when Nurkic or Love need rest, he’s a far more dependable option than Filipowski or Taylor Hendricks, both of whom have struggled with defensive positioning and interior physicality in their rookie campaigns.
Bottom line: this is a fixable problem, and the solution is staring the Jazz in the face. Nick Richards offers experience, physicality, and a proven ability to contribute in limited minutes.
He won’t cost much, he won’t disrupt the long-term plan, and he could help solidify a rotation that’s been stretched thin all season. If Utah’s front office is serious about building a foundation-without rushing into a full-scale win-now mode-this is the kind of smart, subtle move that makes sense.