Jazz Make Conley, Gay, Whiteside Signings Official
Aug 6, 2021, 5:18 PM
Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz officially announced the signings of Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside.
NBA free agency opened on Monday, but while teams could agree to terms with players, deals couldn’t be signed until today when the league’s new calendar year begins.
Conley is re-signing with the Jazz on a three-year, roughly $70 million dollar deal. The All-Star guard was the team’s most highly sought-after name in free agency since Gordon Hayward left for the Boston Celtics in 2017, but quickly agreed to terms with the Jazz on Monday.
Mike Conley is returning to the @UtahJazz. #TakeNote https://t.co/XxYRoOoRKX
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 3, 2021
Entering his 15th season, Conley averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds for the Jazz in 51 games last season.
“These two years have been really good with him,” Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said. “And the opportunity for him to feel comfortable here, to see what we’re building here and his ability to connect with all parts of our organization and community. It just made a ton of sense for us to continue that partnership.”
Gay reportedly signed with the Jazz on a two-year deal at the tax-payer mid-level exception. The second year of the contract is reported to be a player option for Gay who can choose to remain with the team or return to the free-agent market next summer.
The 15-year veteran has spent the last four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and averaged 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 63 appearances. Gay will assume the role previously held by Georges Niang who left the Jazz for the Philadephia 76ers.
“He’s seen different programs and how they work and he’s continued to evolve his game into how he fits,” Zanik said of Gay. “He offers things, better leadership, toughness, size at the four — another compliment to Bojan [Bogdanovic] and Royce [O’Neale].”
BREAKING: According to multiple reports, the @utahjazz will sign veteran forward Rudy Gay. He spent just over six seasons in Memphis playing with Mike Conley.#TakeNote https://t.co/ufTM2Scx91
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 3, 2021
Whiteside joins the Jazz on a veteran’s minimum contract after the team sent Derrick Favors to the Oklahoma City Thunder on a draft-night trade. The team needed to cut their luxury tax bill significantly and attached a future first-round pick with Favors to complete the deal.
Entering his 1oth NBA season, Whiteside averaged 8.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks last year for the Sacramento Kings in limited appearances. The center had previously been a full-time starter with the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat but struggled to fit stylistically in the Kings up-tempo offense.
“Could be a great chance for us to address a position where we have 48 minutes of rim protection,” Zanik said of Whiteside. “The ability to stay big and play big.”
Though the Jazz have agreed to a trade that will bring forward Eric Paschall to Utah from the Golden State Warriors, the deal has not yet been announced by the Jazz.
