The Jazz project to be slightly over the luxury-tax line next season.
And that’s without re-signing Mike Conley.
Conley’s max contract projects to be worth about $228 million over five years.
Utah doesn’t necessarily need to offer that to open free agency. But the Jazz at least have that available if Conley has other appealing offers. It’s hard to imagine Conley turning down that much money to leave.
Of course, Conley isn’t worth nearly that much in a vacuum. Though still a good player, he’s 33, a small guard and has already had health issues.
But Utah’s window is open around Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. If Conley leaves, the Jazz would have only the mid-level exception to replace him. That’s not landing a comparable player.
Sometimes, it’s not about getting the most value per dollar. Especially for a contender like Utah, the priority should be getting the best players.
That can be expensive. If Jazz owner Ryan Smith is willing to pay deep into the luxury tax, more power to him. He’d be giving his team a better chance of winning.
But he still must prove it through more than just media leaks.
