Well, it’s not a blockbuster signing, but it does show that the Jazz are aggressively looking to fill their holes in the roster. The deal is apparently worth $5 million for the two years.
Jazz sign PG Jason Hart to two year deal
Posted by la287 on Saturday, July 14, 2007 @ 9:01am
6 Responses to “Jazz sign PG Jason Hart to two year deal”
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July 14th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
It’s not a good sign when a guy who follows the NBA fairly closely (such as myself) sees this headline and thinks, “Who is Jason Hart?”
July 14th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I knew who he was, and that the Jazz had interest in him, but this signings fails to get me too excited.
July 14th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
With the team all but set (10 guys under contract), it’d be hard to get excited for most signings. What this does, though, is give them a more reliable back-up than Shorty (who still needs to show more improvement). Hart isn’t the next Deron or Stockton or Kidd or what-not. But if he can provide the type of play that the Jazz have come to expect from back-ups (John Crotty, Howard Eisley, Jacque Vaughn, Keith McLeod, Derek Fisher), the Jazz should be fine. He just needs to make sure that he doesn’t make too many mistakes when replacing Deron on the court. At least this signing leaves us extra money (which wouldn’t have happened with Mo-Pete) to sign Fesenko and maybe another big-man (in case Fesenko is going be in the NBDL for most of the season).
July 14th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I actually really like this move and I think the Jazz will be better off in the long run for it.
Look at his numbers and you will see a guy that is a solid player, ie does not turn the ball over, shoots a good percentage and gets a few steals. He is the perfect player to split time with Shorty as Deron’s backup. Plus he only costs a few million bones. I like it.
July 14th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
He actually had a solid year after getting traded to the Clippers. He started 22 of 23 games, averaging 9 points, 4 assists, almost 4 rebounds, and a couple steals. He will probably have a smaller role with the Jazz, but he can definitely contribute if needed.
The more I’ve thought about it, the more it’s grown on me. I agree with UtesFan89 about the frugality of this signing, this deal still leaves us with a moderate amount (about $5 million) that we can spend if needed.
July 14th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
All things considered, I think this one worked out fairly well. My first thought was to go after Mo Petersen, but the truth is, the market for free agents was a bit crazy this year, and I think the Jazz were smart to hold off at this juncture, and see what the early part of the season brings. Jason Hart provides a seasoned backup at a low cost, and doesn’t tie down the salary cap for four years like Petersen would have done. For the first half at least, the Jazz can see what they have, find out if any of CJ, Morris or Brewer can turn into a reliable starter and ride the main guys to a solid record. The key to all this, in my mind, is going to be how they play out the mid year time near the trade deadline. At that time, the Jazz might be able to add someone in the last year of the contract or some other pickup who can add athleticism and veteran savvy at a cost that is more palatable than Petersen. Giricek’s expiring $4 million contract seems like dead weight now, but at the deadline you package that with Collins and you’ve got $6 million in contract space to send for someone who’s worn out their welcome in another city. Seems to me a reasonable alternative to overpaying for Mo Petersen and being stuck with him holding down the shooting guard slot for four years when we have three possible alternatives on the roster.