Can Jarrell Brantley Help Jazz In Orlando?

.SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – While the NBA prepares to finish its season in Orlando, one of the most pressing questions remains — what happens if a player gets sick? Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 in March, and the NBA suspended play within hours. Now, the league appears to have a plan in place to continue action if a player gets injured, or tests positive for the virus. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA will allow teams to sign players from the G-League to fill sick and injured players spot. With Bojan Bogdanovic sidelined for the rest of the season after wrist surgery, will the Jazz turn to Jarrell Brantley to fill his spot?

The Jazz have one of the deepest guard rotations in the NBA. Between Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, and Jordan Clarkson, the Jazz have four starting-caliber backcourt players. With Emmanuel Mudiay, the team simply doesn’t have the room or need for more guards.

Reporting on @SportsCenter with @DavidLloydESPN on NBA’s plans for rosters and teams left out of Orlando. pic.twitter.com/RbOATiRp5F

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 8, 2020

However, the team’s frontcourt is relatively thin. After waiving Jeff Green early in the season and losing Bogdanovic to injury, the Jazz have one of the leaner forward rotations in the league.

Royce O’Neale is a proven NBA rotation player, averaging nearly 30 minutes per game for the Jazz. O’Neale will play a major factor in making up Bogdanovic’s minutes. Georges Niang averages just 13 minutes per game. Assuming he is asked to play a larger role, Niang’s effectiveness beyond those minutes will likely be a deciding factor for how the Jazz approach the NBA’s transactional window.

At center, Gobert absorbs the majority of the team’s minutes. Meanwhile, reserve Tony Bradley has been a surprise bright spot on the roster. The Jazz have turned to Juwan Morgan in smaller lineups.

Position of Need

If the Jazz do add a player to the roster, it seems clear that forward is the position of need. Coincidentally, it’s probably the easiest position for the Jazz to fill.

While the NBA will allow teams to add players to their rosters, some caveats exist. First, teams must have either an injured or a sick player that needs to be replaced, or an open roster spot. For the Jazz, that’s Bogdanovic. Second, the free-agent that can be added must have played in either the NBA, the G-League, or have been on a training camp roster this season. That means players like Jamal Crawford likely won’t be able to sign with a team before the season resumes.

The @UtahJazz Bojan Bogdanovic will undergo season ending wrist surgery according to ESPN.

The injury is a major blow to the team's playoff hopes.https://t.co/OI2X84kHaM

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 18, 2020

The issue for most teams replacing an injured or sick player will be the lack of familiarity with that team’s playbook and chemistry. Expecting a borderline NBA player to step in and be a difference-maker for a playoff-caliber team is farfetched. However, a two-way player who has spent time with that NBA roster throughout the season could potentially help fill that emergency void.

Enter Brantley.

Jarrell Brantley

The most logical option for the Jazz to fill Bogdanovic’s roster spot is Brantley. The two-way forward was drafted by the Jazz in 2019 and appeared in five games for the team this season. Had it not been for a summer league hip injury, Brantley may have been a fulltime roster member over guard Miye Oni.

.@utahjazz 2nd round draft pick Jarrell Brantley is lighting up the @nbagleague for the @slcstars. He had 31 points on 12 of 19 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block in an overtime win. #TakeNote #utahjazz https://t.co/mswkFuB8kZ pic.twitter.com/lGcLFV7BCH

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) November 27, 2019

Brantley has been prolific for the Jazz G-League affiliate Salt Lake City Stars. The 6’5 forward averaged 18.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals for the Stars in his debut season. Meanwhile, the Stars had the second-best record in the G-League this season.

Though game minutes have been rare this season, Brantley accompanied the Jazz on their four-game east coast road trip before the season was suspended. The forward appeared in each of the first two games of the trip.

How Likely is Brantley to Play?

Between O’Neale and Niang, it’s unlikely the Jazz would turn to Brantley for important NBA minutes. As he has in his five appearances this season, Brantley would likely only see garbage minutes on the Jazz roster. However, the Jazz could test his abilities when the season returns.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, NBA teams are pushing for 2-3 exhibition games before returning to the floor. While those games will be crucial for rebuilding team chemistry, it’s unlikely the Jazz would push their starters for full rotation minutes in exhibition games. Any further injury in the frontcourt would decimate the Jazz hopes of advancing in the playoffs.

It won't be long before Jarrell Brantley is doing THIS👇🏻 for the @utahjazz #TakeNote https://t.co/mswkFuB8kZ pic.twitter.com/GMxC6CrwN9

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 21, 2020

Allowing Brantley meaningful minutes during the preseason games could build the team’s comfort level if they were forced to turn to him as they play out the season.

As the NBA prepares to restart its season, the Jazz will look to fill the roster spot vacated by Bogdanovic. While the team will likely fill his vacant minutes with players already on the roster, Brantley could provide valuable depth in emergency situations.