Utah Jazz summer league roster taking shape, Dante Exum confirmed
By Ryan Aston
Utah Jazz point guard Dante Exum and several others are reportedly locked in for the team’s summer league squad, which will hit the hardwood next month.
Following the events of Thursday night, the 2017 NBA Draft is in the rearview. Now, the basketball world’s focus has shifted to the free agent frenzy beginning on July 1.
At this point, we don’t know whether or not Utah Jazz free agents to be Gordon Hayward, George Hill and Joe Ingles will still be with the team once the smoke has cleared. However, there are a handful of players we can expect to be in Jazz uniforms next month for summer league play.
For one, Dante Exum, the No. 5 overall pick of the 2014 draft, has been confirmed as a participant. He’ll play in the Utah Jazz Summer League running from July 3-6, then remain in Salt Lake City to train with Jazz personnel while the rest of the team heads to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas (July 7-17).
Meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell, whom the Jazz acquired with the No. 13 pick by trading into the lottery on draft night, will suit up for Utah in both leagues.
GM Dennis Lindsey said Dante Exum will participate in the Utah Jazz Summer League but not in Las Vegas. Donovan Mitchell will play in both.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) June 23, 2017
Exum won’t be the only Aussie playing for the Jazz next month. Adelaide 36ers imports Mitch Creek and Nate Sobey are also confirmed.
While no official word has been given on their status, it would stand to reason that the team’s other picks from Thursday night, big man Tony Bradley and point guard Nigel Williams-Goss, will be on hand as well.
Two others expected to join the team —
Eric Griffin, Hapoel Gilboa Galil: Griffin is a 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward with a wingspan over seven feet. He averaged nearly 15 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest in Isreal last season. The 27-year-old was also a D-League All-Star back in 2015 as a member of the Texas Legends.
Like Sobey and Creek, Griffin was part of Utah’s free agent mini-camp earlier this month. His agent later announced his summer league participation with the Jazz.
https://twitter.com/bjbass2/status/875843888166162433
Tyler Cavanaugh, George Washington: Cavanaugh went undrafted this week after a strong two-year run at G.W. However, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound sharpshooter raised some eyes at the Portsmouth Invitational. He was the tournament’s second-leading scorer at 19.3 points per contest and hit on 46.2 percent of his threes.
He was also among the first draft prospects to work out with the Jazz on April 29. Donna Ditota of the Syracuse Post-Standard reported on Cavanaugh joining the Jazz on Friday.
Former Jamesville-DeWitt and George Washington star Tyler Cavanaugh will play for the Utah Jazz in two NBA Summer Leagues, he tells me.
— Donna Ditota (@DonnaDitota1) June 23, 2017
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One player with Jazz ties he won’t be joining the team is forward Quincy Ford. The 24-year-old spent last summer with the Jazz in both Salt Lake and Vegas. He would go on to join Utah’s D-League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, where he averaged 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds over 26 games.
According to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune, he’ll suit up for the Atlanta Hawks this summer.
Former Jazz/SLC Stars forward Quincy Ford will play Summer League for the Atlanta Hawks, league sources tell The Salt Lake Tribune
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) June 23, 2017
You can check out the complete summer league schedule for the Utah Jazz HERE.