Former Utah Jazz backup center Omer Yurseven is generating some interest around the league. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the New York Knicks “audited” Yurseven but then decided to go in a different direction.
“The Knicks recently auditioned free agent big man Omer Yurtseven, among others, but have not decided to sign him.” – Marc Stein The Stone Line
It’s somewhat surprising that Yurtseven hasn’t found work yet. In his first and only season with the Jazz, he performed admirably when he was needed. The three-year veteran averaged 4.6 points per game and 4.3 rebounds in 48 games.
Yurtseven came from the Miami Heat and signed a two-year deal to play in Salt Lake City, but was released after the 2023-24 season. Drew Eubanks, who was signed earlier this summer, will replace Yurtseven on the roster.
Eubanks signed a two-year deal worth $10 million. However, the second year is not guaranteed. If Utah decides to make a trade during the season to bolster the roster, the expiring contract will come in handy. One has to wonder if that’s why Utah decided to spend more money on Eubanks instead of keeping Yurtseven at a cheaper price.
The Jazz signed Eubanks, Sviatoslav Mykhailuk and Patty Mills this summer. Mykhailuk signed a four-year deal worth $15.050 million, but again only the first year was guaranteed. Mills agreed to a one-year deal worth $3.3 million.
That’s a total of $11.8 million potentially off the books next summer. Those are attractive contracts for any team looking for salary relief next season.
With the Jazz still in the early stages of their rebuild, there is no guarantee they will be able to complete a trade to upgrade the roster this season, but Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is keeping his options open should the opportunity arise.
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