44. The Contract Of Jazz Forward Jarrell Brantley – KSL Sports
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just 44 days from today. With the clock ticking, we look at 50 things for Jazz fans to be excited about leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season. Today, we look at the role of Jarrell Brantley heading into training camp.
The Contract Of Jazz Forward Jarrell Brantley
Coming off back-to-back two-way contracts with the Jazz, Brantley signed the qualifying offer extended to him by the Jazz, making him a restricted free agent heading into the preseason.
With 13 players with guaranteed contracts on the current roster, and Miye Oni owning a 14th partially guaranteed deal, the Jazz have just one open spot before hitting the league max of 15 players.
How Brantley plays during the training camp and preseason will likely determine his future role with the team.
Should he play well, the Jazz could ink the third-year forward to a guaranteed, or partially guaranteed contract that would allow him to develop with the primary roster throughout the season.
Brantley is also eligible to sign a third two-way contract with the Jazz, joining second-year guard Trent Forrest in splitting time between the main roster and the Salt Lake City Stars during the G League season.
If the forward struggles, the Jazz could release Brantley before the season begins and not incur his salary, or the added luxury tax penalties that will come with his contract.
Throughout his career, Brantley has had flashes of brilliance with the Jazz dating back to his initial summer league with the team. However, a hip injury pushed him out of the summer rotation and may have cost him an opportunity to sign a long-term contract with the franchise that ultimately went to Oni.
The forward shined with the Stars in 2020, though the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Brantley remained with the Jazz rather than traveling to Orlando to join the Stars during the 15 game G League season.
In his second season with the Jazz, Brantley appeared in just 28 games, averaging 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in fewer than five minutes per contest.
The forward suited up for the Jazz during the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer Leagues’ and again had his moments, but never quite dominated the way a player with his experience might be expected to.
Brantley averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and handed out 2.0 assists per game, showing off his versatility for the Jazz, though he struggled to shoot the ball, and too often got sped up with the ball in his hands.
With just one open roster spot, and Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale, Rudy Gay, and Eric Paschall sitting in front of him on the depth chart, Brantley faces an uphill climb to secure a guaranteed contract on the team.
However, the Jazz’s past investment in his development and low-cost deal makes Jarrell Brantley one of the 50 storylines fans must keep an eye on before opening night.