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The Utah Jazz must either re-sign one of three free agents or use the 2013 NBA Draft to find a starting point guard for next season. Mo Williams, the starter for the most of last season, would be a wise choice for Utah.
When general manager Dennis Lindsey was asked a little over a week ago what he will do about the starting point guard position, he admitted that it is way too early to make that kind of decision.
“On April 18, it’s hard to say,” Lindsey said, according to DeseretNews.com. “We’ll see, as we have three draft picks. Frankly it’s too soon and too emotional to say this guy will be back, and all those guys have options so it’s … do we have time, do we have opportunity, do we have enough money in relation to all of our free agents.”
Williams will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. He averaged 12.9 points, 6.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 30.8 minutes per game in 46 contests. The 30-year-old spent a lot of time on the disabled list after he underwent surgery on his thumb.
Utah finished the season with four point guards on their roster. However, there is no way they will keep three point guards over the age of 30. That means Alec Burks will be a lock to at least back up one of the two guard positions, while the Jazz will have to decide if Williams, Jamaal Tinsley or Earl Watson will be the starting point guard. Even though Williams struggled to stay healthy, I still believe he is the best bet among the three. More importantly, the veteran would like to return to the Jazz for another year.
“Absolutely, they know that,” Williams said, according to DeseretNews.com. “First off, I was drafted here. This was the organization that gave me a shot when I first came in the league when I was a young pup. I’m at a point in my career where stability is the key and this is an organization that is top notch and cares about winning.”
There will be several point guards available in free agency in the offseason. However, it could get rather expensive to bring in a premier point man. The fact that Williams would return for a cheaper price is certainly encouraging. Not to mention, he has proven to be successful for the team.
