After losing star Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics, the Utah Jazz beefed up their line-up by adding center Ekpe Udoh and forward Jonas Jerebko. According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, the Jazz and the 30-year-old Udoh agreed to a two-year deal worth $6.5 million. Udoh recently played with Fenerbahce in the Turkish Basketball Super League for two years where he averaged 12.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
A 2017 Turkish Super League All-Star selection, Udoh led Fenerbahce to the EuroLeague title and won the EuroLeague Final Four MVP.
The 6-foot-10 Udoh was the sixth overall pick by Golden State in the 2010 Draft but he was a disappointment, averaging just 4.0 poins, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 270 regular-season games with the Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers. With Udoh, the Jazz will have additional frontcourt depth aside from Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors.
Jazz added ex-Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko
The Jazz also added free-agent forward Jonas Jerebko, who last played for the Celtics. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Jerebko and the Jazz agreed to a two-year, $8.2 million deal. Last season, Jerebko averaged 3.8 points per game as a backup player for the Celtics.
A 39th pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 2009 Draft, Jerebko made it to the All-Rookie Second Team after averaging a career-best 9.3 points a game.
The Pistons traded him to the Celtics in 2014 as part of the package that brought Tayshaun Prince to Detroit. The 6-foot-10 Jerebko will be a matchup problems for Jazz opponents has he can shoot from beyond the arc. Last season, he made 34.6 percent of his attempts from three-point range.
Jazz waived Diaw; Raptors interested
The Jazz waived veteran power forward Boris Diaw one day before his $7.5 million salary becomes guaranteed. According to Tim McMahon of ESPN, the Jazz plan to use the cap room from Diaw’s salary to acquire more players. The 35-year-old Diaw averaged 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 73 games with the Jazz last season.
Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune said the Raptors are interested in the 6-foot-8 Diaw, who is known for his passing and veteran leadership during his time with the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs. A first-round pick by the Hawks in the 2003 Draft, Diaw suited up for 1,064 regular-season games, averaging 8.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 27 minutes of action.
