In the meantime the Jazz have sent Azubuike to the SLC Stars and will continue to do so as much as possible throughout the season, so that the former 27th overall pick can get as much on-court and individualized attention as possible. If he still needs next season to be molded, keeping him is inexpensive and the Jazz could always find another center on a minimum deal as they did with Whiteside. With Whiteside on a one-year deal, thereвЂ™s opportunity if Azubuike can prove that he deserves minutes by the time next season rolls around. In order to see if he can really play NBA ball at the level they need, he needs more time. This season, the JazzвЂ™s center minutes are pretty much locked up with Rudy Gobert backed up by Hassan Whiteside and flanked by small-ball five options in Rudy Gay and Eric Paschall.Д®ven so, the Jazz still believe that Azubuike has the tools that could develop him into the type of rim-running defensive big that the JazzвЂ™s system revolves around. The non-verbal connection between Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley paid off again Mental mistakes lead to JazzвЂ™s first loss of the 2021-22 season What the Jazz exercising the option on Udoka AzubuikeвЂ™s contract means moving forwardД«y the time that Azubuike was healthy, the Jazz were the top seed in the West, headed into a playoff run. вЂњThe only way you can learn that is reps, but last year he had a major injury. вЂњLast year we drafted him, and four days later he shows up to camp and weвЂ™re asking of him, 1 youвЂ™re not going to get any reps in the regular season because of the goals that we have as the veteran team, and 2 nobody in college plays like us,вЂќ Zanik said. The simple answer is that it was a cheap way to give Azubuike more time to develop.ДЄ longer answer was provided by Jazz general manager Justin Zanik on Saturday prior to the JazzвЂ™s loss to the Chicago Bulls, and in part Zanik said the Jazz feel like Azubuike hasnвЂ™t really been dealt that fair of a hand since being drafted. So why did the Jazz pick up AzubuikeвЂ™s option? His time played during the JazzвЂ™s preseason games were not as productive as his time in the Salt Lake City or Las Vegas Summer League, to say the least.

Though Azubuike showed some flashes of promise during Summer League play, it seems that heвЂ™s still not ready for real NBA minutes.

The option extends the centerвЂ™s contract through the 2022-23 season. Last week the Utah Jazz decided to exercise their third-year option on 2020 first-round draft pick Udoka Azubuike. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Thursday. This article was first published as the Jazz Insiders newsletter.

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