The successful perspective would point to the fact that Utah finished with the best regular-season record in the NBA and advanced one round further in the postseason than the team did a year ago.
In the first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Conley was Utah’s best player, averaging 17.4 points and 8.6 assists, and shooting 54.8% from 3-point range.
When Utah acquired Conley in 2019, the front office knew contract extensions for Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were on the horizon, and the price tag to keep this team together would be expensive.
The Toronto Raptors could also have room if Kyle Lowry signs with another team, but with Fred VanVleet and Malachi Flynn at both guard spots, they would be better served using their cap space on other positions, rather than signing a 34-year-old replacement for the 35-year-old Lowry.
To help mitigate financial risk, the Jazz could make the second season non-guaranteed, and add a minutes or games clause that would guarantee his contract if he hit certain milestones in the first season.
The Jazz did all their heavy lifting last season, leaving them very little to do this summer beyond making a decision on Conley.
If the cap takes a jump bigger than the 3% the league planned for, Mitchell’s salary would increase as well.
Bogdanovic is coming off a regular season where he played all 72 games and a postseason that saw him shoot 45.6% from 3 and average 18.5 points.
1, the Jazz can extend his contract for an additional four seasons and a starting salary of $14.9 million in the first year.
The Jazz owe a future first-round pick to Memphis as part of the deal that brought Conley to Utah.
That pick and the contract of Tony Bradley were traded to the Detroit Pistons to help the Jazz save money under the luxury tax.