Utah Jazz End Of Season Awards

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tuesday was scheduled to serve as the final day of the regular season for the Utah Jazz, with the postseason set to begin on Saturday. However, the coronavirus pandemic sidelined the world of professional sports and postponed the final 18 games of the regular season.

Understanding that if the NBA is to return, the league is likely to cancel a significant number of the remaining regular-season games, if not skip to the postseason altogether.

With that in mind, it’s time to hand out the Utah Jazz end of season awards.

Most Valuable Player – Rudy Gobert

Like most leaguewide MVP discussions, this was a two-man race between Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, both of whom earned their first All-Star selections this season. Just as the argument between Giannis Antetokounmp and James Harden has trended towards advanced analytics versus more traditional statistical measurements, and better offense against better defense, Gobert and Mitchell may be tough for fans to choose between.

Mitchell is the Jazz leading scorer this season averaging 24.2 points per game, while adding more than four rebounds and four assists per game, averaging career highs in each. Mitchell is also experiencing career bests in scoring efficiency, besting his previous marks in field goal, three-point, and free-throw percentage. Unquestionably, this has been the best season of Mitchell’s career.

okay who had "Rudy Gobert dunk in the clutch" on their Christmas list? pic.twitter.com/CDFXMRW4vy

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) December 22, 2019

Meanwhile, Gobert has seen a dip in his points, assists, and block per game averages, leaving some to argue that the Jazz center has seen a dip in his contributions this season.

However, it’s clear to see the additions of Bojan Bogdanovic and Mike Conley have limited Gobert’s offensive touches, leading to a decrease in field goal attempts which is largely responsible for the drop in offensive production. Despite fewer shot attempts, Gobert is averaging a career-best .698 field goal percentage, good for second-best in the NBA.

Finally, despite the NBA’s push towards more three-point oriented offenses, Gobert remains the league’s most impactful defensive player by a reasonable margin. According to ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus-Minus, Gobert is the league’s best defender with a DRPM rating of 3.23.

Gobert isn’t the Jazz flashiest player but is by far the most impactful. Every time Gobert steps on the floor, the Jazz are a better team, and few players can say that night in and night out.

Defensive Player of the Year – Rudy Gobert

As previously mentioned, Gobert isn’t just the Jazz best defensive player, he’s the best defender in the entire league.

The team’s next closest competitor would be Royce O’Neal who ranks 22nds in ESPN’s DRMP rankings with a rating of 1.47.

Rudy Gobert calls game with an amazing recovery and block at the rim. He had 22 points, 17 rebounds, 5 blocks and was 8-8 from the field. Rudy is the best defensive player in the #NBA and should be in the #NBAAllStar game. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/p2QVKgTvhl

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 26, 2020

Gobert is the only player in the league with a DRPM rating above 3 and is nearly a full point ahead of the number two ranked Patrick Beverley. The Jazz center has already enshrined himself as one of the best defenders in league history and will continue to climb the ranks if his current trend continues.

Sixth Man of the Year – Jordan Clarkson

Just as Gobert’s Defensive Player of the Year Award was a no-brainer, Jordan Clarkson taking home the Sixth Man of the Year award should be unanimous among Jazz fans.

The Jazz had one of the worst benches in the NBA through the first two months of the season, regularly blowing leads built by the starting lineup while digging impossible holes from which to climb late in games.

📹| @jordanclarksons with 30 off the bench ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/vfhjBv00Nz

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) February 10, 2020

Just two days before Christmas, the Jazz swapped guard Dante Exum for Clarkson and saw an immediate increase in production from the second unit.

Clarkson is the team’s third-leading scorer in just 25 minutes per game averaging 15.6 points per game, the second-best mark of his career while helping push the Jazz towards the postseason.

Rookie Of The Year – Rayjon Tucker

Despite a roster that hosts six rookies, including two two-way players, the Jazz have seen next to no meaningful minutes from their first-year players outside of time spent in the G-League.

Based on potential alone, Jarrell Brantley would win the award for Rookie of the Year. Brantley is averaging 18.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while knocking down 33 percent of his three-point shots with the Salt Lake City Stars. It’s not hard to imagine Brantley rounding into a rotation player for the Jazz in the next two seasons

However, with just 13 regular minutes played this season, it’s hard to argue he’s done much of value for the main roster this season.

Rayjon Tucker has wings! #TakeNote https://t.co/mswkFuB8kZ pic.twitter.com/sLBueWXQBq

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) January 11, 2020

On the other hand, Rayjon Tucker, signed the same night the Jazz traded for Clarkson helped the Jazz bridge the gap in minutes while Mike Conley was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Tucker averaged just 1.4 points per game and shot only 42 percent from the floor, but provided valuable rest to Mitchell for a stretch of 14 games when the team needed him. He’s a safe bet to return to the Jazz summer league roster next season but will need to show improvement to make the roster next season.

Most Improved Player – Tony Bradley

Several Jazz players deserve credit for making improvements this season, including Mitchell, Bogdanovic, and Emmanuel Mudiay, but no player has seen a jump in play quite like Tony Bradley.

After playing a total of 12 games and 65 minutes in his first two seasons in the NBA, Bradley has rounded into a full-blown rotation player for the Jazz. Bradley doubled his total career minutes just 11 games into the regular season, having appeared in just eight contests.

Tony Bradley for 3? TONY BRADLEY FOR 3!!!! #TakeNote #UtahJazz #NBA #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/P9gGNdqo4r

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) February 29, 2020

Though Bradley struggled early to fill the minutes vacated by an injured Ed Davis, he’s shown significant improvement throughout his third season in the league, outright replacing the veteran Davis in the rotation.

The Jazz may look to find a reserve big man to compete with Bradley as the backup center next season behind Gobert, but should feel comfortable in the former first-round pick’s production should he earn the job.

All Utah Jazz First Team

PG: Donovan Mitchell

SG: Jordan Clarkson

SF: Royce O’Neale

PF: Bojan Bogdanovic

C: Rudy Gobert

Due to the injury to Mike Conley and the inconsistent play of the team’s bench to open the season, Jordan Clarkson earns a spot on the All Utah Jazz First Team over Mike Conley. Had Conley continued on his most recent streak of play since returning to the starting lineup, he likely would have supplanted Clarkson, but with the regular season being cut short, the Jazz sixth man gets the nod.

Additionally, due to Joe Ingles inconsistent play between his starting role and the bench, Royce O’Neale gets the nod at small forward. O’Neale has been the Jazz best wing defender this season and the team struggles significantly when he’s out of the starting line up.

Block of the Night: Feb. 9th

👉 Royce O'Neale of the @utahjazz pic.twitter.com/PHnVWRBkLu

— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) February 10, 2020

Mitchell, Bogdanovic, and Gobert were all easy selections, with two of the three earning All-Star appearances, while Bogdanovic likely should have gotten more attention as a 20 point per game scorer on a team that’s nearly 20 games above .500.

Utah Jazz All-Defensive Team

PG: Donovan Mitchell

SG: Jordan Clarkson

SF: Joe Ingles

PF: Royce O’Neale

C: Rudy Gobert

Though a dropoff was inevitable from the bigger, younger Ricky Rubio, Conley’s struggles on the defensive end early in the season were part of the team’s drop in defensive performance from last season.

Though Conley has better adjusted to the team’s defensive scheme, he still ranks behind each of the players that made the Jazz All-Defensive team in DRPM.

Joe Ingles block to Bogey three! yes you read that right#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/FbVDCJ7LzC

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) November 21, 2019

Clarkson isn’t a perfect defensive player and can get caught ball watching, but his competitiveness and hustle have earned praise from coach Quin Snyder.

O’Neale and Ingles regularly draw the assignment of defending the opposing teams best wing defender and have done an admirable job of allowing Mitchell to focus on the offensive side of the ball. Mitchell’s DRPM ranks fifth on the roster behind each of the other four first-team members, but still deserving of a nod.