The Jazz-Spurs pipeline seemed like it would send Garrett Temple to Utah (via the Wizards) after Dante Exum’s injury.
First, San Antonio summer-leaguer Treveon Graham is headed to the Jazz.
Graham signed a three-year minimum contract with $75,000 guaranteed, according to Basketball Insiders.
Undrafted out of Virginia Commonwealth, Graham is an excellent rebounder for his position. He can score multiple ways and his length is a defensive asset, but his athleticism is limited for an NBA player.
The Jazz have 13 players with guaranteed salaries. Graham will compete with four players on fully unguaranteed deals – Christopher Johnson, Jack Cooley, Elijah Millsap and Bryce Cotton – for the final two regular-season roster spots. Graham’s guarantee might give him a slight advantage, but I’d still give the edge to Millsap and Cotton. Millsap looked defensively last year, and Cotton provides needed point guard depth after Exum’s injury.
Most likely, Utah waives Graham and assigned his D-League rights to its affiliate, the Idaho Stampede. Eating a $75,000 guarantee probably wouldn’t prohibit the Jazz from making any moves they’d make otherwise.
But Graham at least gets that small payout and a chance to impress in training camp. It’s hardly inconceivable the Temple Hills, Md., native makes the regular-season roster.