NBA Utah Jazz

Ian Clark Could Be Important Piece for Utah Jazz in 2014-15

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By @mrmarykateolsen

 

Ian Clark Utah Jazz Backup PG Dante Exum 2014-15 NBA

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Here on the eve of the 2014-15 NBA season’s commencement, much is being made of the current situation at point guard for the Utah Jazz. Though incumbent starter Trey Burke has offered a promising preseason run, exhibiting improvement on defense, with his jump shot and also in his ability to take the ball to the hoop, there remains a slew of unanswered questions at the position. For this reason, second-year Jazzman Ian Clark could be an important piece for the team this season.

Last year, the combo guard from Belmont lit up the Las Vegas Summer League and was quickly inked by the Jazz following his MVP-performance there. That summer league spark didn’t translate to regular season action however as the 6-foot-3 scorer struggled to get shots off against the pressure and athleticism of actual NBA defenders. As such, he only appeared in 23 games for the Jazz, with most of his minutes coming in garbage time.

This season, with questions surrounding No. 5 overall pick Dante Exum‘s body and potential acclimation to the physical nature of the league, as well as the possibility (improbable though it may seem) that Burke’s preseason performance might be fool’s gold in some respects, there may come a time when Clark is called upon to help the team navigate through the tough times. Such was the case in the team’s preseason finale against the Phoenix Suns when coach Quin Snyder elected to go with Clark when Exum struggled to find his feet against a tough Phoenix back court.

Clark’s preseason output provides reason to believe that he may be equal to the challenge, should the need for his services arise. Given his somewhat diminutive stature, the team has asked that he further develop his point guard skills despite his scorer’s mentality. In exhibition games, his playmaking ability and court vision appear to be much improved and his focus level and intensity on defense have also impressed.

Even if Burke’s hot streak continues and Exum is able to exceed expectations, there will be times when injury could force Clark onto the court. He may not be your prototypical point guard and his professional career to this point has been less than amazing, but if he can continue to do what he’s done this preseason and develop his game along the way, there will be a role on the squad for Clark in 2014-15.

Ryan Aston covers the Utah Jazz for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @MrMaryKateOlsen or add him to your network on Google.

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