The Utah Jazz are a team that has sat back this offseason and been OK with just letting their young players grow another year as a source of improvement. With the emergence of Rudy Gobert and guys like Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors taking steps forward, the Jazz didn't have to do much this offseason to make themselves feel that they will improve. One move that they did make, though, is bringing back sparkplug Trevor Booker for next season.
Booker was guaranteed to make at least $250,000 next season regardless of what decision the Jazz made, but they decided to pick up the second-year option on his contract and he will be paid approximately $5 million this seasonk, according to Deseret News.
Booker is a fan favorite in Utah (and why wouldn't he be when he's making trick shots like this?), so the Jazz had no problem guaranteeing him the five million dollars. It also doesn't hurt that he played some really good basketball for them last season.
The Jazz won 38 games last season, up from 25 the year before that, and Booker was a key part of it. In his first season in Utah, Booker averaged 7.2 points and five rebounds in only 20 minutes per game. He is an energy guy off the bench who comes in to give Derrick Favors a blow and provides toughness and rebounding. Last season Booker also extended his shooting range to beyond the three point line. In his four seasons before coming to Utah (with the Washington Wizards) he only took 10 three pointers, making one. Last season with the Jazz he attempted 84 and made 29, good for a 35-percent clip.
Booker won't wow you with any of his skills, but he is the type of player every team needs, a guy who will do the dirty work to help the team win. While Gobert, Favors and Hayward will get most of the attention for the Jazz being a team on the rise, Booker is also a key to the Jazz taking another step forward.
Booker fits right in with this young core as he is only going to be 28 next season and still has a lot of basketball left to play. It should be very interesting to watch this young Jazz team grow together over the next few years.
