UTAH JAZZ

42. The Jazz Future With Miye Oni

Sep 8, 2021, 2:09 PM

Miye Oni of the Utah Jazz defends Rudy Gay (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)...

Miye Oni of the Utah Jazz defends Rudy Gay (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just 42 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. Coming in at number 42, the development and future of guard Miye Oni.

The Jazz Future With Miye Oni

Oni enters his third season with the Jazz having outgrown the title as the team’s youngest guard project, but also lacks a clearly defined role on the roster.

Leaving Yale, Oni was drafted by the Jazz with the third to final pick in the second round and signed a three-year, partially guaranteed contract before his rookie season.

Over his first two seasons with the Jazz, Oni has averaged 2.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists while shooting 36 percent from the floor and 34 percent from the three-point line.

The guard has developed a reputation as a potential defensive stopper on the perimeter due to his 6-foot-6 height and superb 6-foot-10 wingspan, though the discussion of Oni’s potential as a defender has generally outweighed its practice.

Rather than playing with the Jazz summer league roster alongside fellow third-year players Jarrell Brantley and Juwan Morgan, Oni represented the Nigerian National Team at the Toyko Olympics where he became a fixture in the team’s rotation.

Whereas Oni once represented a developmental piece in the Jazz long-term future, the team’s championship timeline, salary cap and roster crunch, and depth in the backcourt have accelerated the timeline for the former Yale product to prove he can produce on an NBA team.

Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell are entrenched as the team’s starters for at least the next two seasons, while Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson are set to man the reserve guard spots for the upcoming year.

Behind those four proven NBA veterans, Oni is joined by second-year guard Trent Forrest who signed a two-way contract deal with the Jazz and is coming off an excellent summer league performance, rookie Jared Butler who many projected to be a late lottery pick before dropping to the second round, and undrafted rookie MaCio Teague who will also be competing for a two-way contract or guaranteed roster spot.

Further complicating the issue for Oni is that his contract is only guaranteed through January, making him a candidate to be waived mid-season, if not sooner should the organization decide he’s not in their long-term plans.

That isn’t to say however that the guard couldn’t carve out a promising role in the Jazz rotation. With his excellent size and athleticism, Oni has a legitimate edge over each of the previously mentioned guards on the defensive end, including Conley, Mitchell, Ingles, and Clarkson.

Only Forrest rivals Oni’s combination of size and length but still trails the veteran by nearly two inches in both categories. Furthermore, Oni has shown potential as a three-point shooter knocking down the deep ball at a 15 percent better rate than Forrest.

But, despite his size and athleticism, Oni lacks the playmaking and ball skills that every other player in the team’s backcourt possesses which may force him to compete for more minutes in the Jazz’s frontcourt, rather than as a guard.

With an impressive frame, a willingness to defend, and some traits as a three-point shooter, there is room in the NBA for a player like Oni should his skillset continue to develop.

The level to which Oni grows on the floor, and how much of an opportunity he gets to show it with the Jazz is one of the 50 most exciting storylines for the team entering opening night.

  • Utah Jazz Scoreboard

  • Utah Jazz Team Leaders

  • Utah Jazz Standings

Utah Jazz

Luka Doncic signs autographs...

Ben Anderson

Luka Doncic Carves Time To Sign Autographs For Fans In Utah

Luka Doncic made time on Wednesday to sign autographs for his fans in Utah as the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Jazz.

4 hours ago

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Isaiah Collier #13 of the Utah Jazz...

Ben Anderson

Jazz Get Revenge Over Doncic, Lakers 131-119

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz sent Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers into the All-Star break with a 131-119 loss. Lauri Markkanen led all scorers with 32 points while the Lakers were led by Rui Hachimura who scored 19. Game Blog: Jazz Blowout Lakers In Salt Lake City Jazz Guards Stuff Stat […]

4 hours ago

Markkanen Utah Jazz...

Ben Anderson & Brian Preece

Jazz Sink Lakers In Home Blowout

NBA-title hopeful Los Angeles Lakers take their traveling circus on the road to face the Utah Jazz three days after beating Utah by 19.

5 hours ago

Utah Jazz Jordan Clarkson...

Brian Preece

Three-Point Barrage Helps Jazz Pull Away From Lakers

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Jazz are firing on all cylinders, building a 20-point lead over the superstar-laden Lakers late in the third quarter.

6 hours ago

Howard Eisley #10 of the Utah Jazz looking on during the game against the Golden State Warriors...

Brian Preece

Howard Eisley Returns To Delta Center As Jazz Host Lakers

SALT LAKE CITY - Former Utah Jazz backup point guard Howard Eisley is in the house at Delta Center tonight, returning to his former NBA home. 

6 hours ago

lauri markkanen...

Brian Preece

Lauri Markkanen Off To Hot Start Against Lakers

SALT LAKE CITY - Lauri Markkanen is going right at the Lakers in the opening quarter, leading Utah to a 33-30 lead after one. 

7 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Northern Utah High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 2

SALT LAKE CITY – The John Watson Northern Utah High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Northern Utah. Presented by John Watson Chevrolet in Ogden, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week two of the season were Jackson Maw from […]

salt lake county player of the week...

Salt Lake County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 2

SALT LAKE CITY – The Hercules Salt Lake County High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Salt Lake County. Presented by Hercules First Federal Credit Union, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week two were Faythe Stauffer from Riverton High […]

...

Utah County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 2

SALT LAKE CITY – The Mr. Mac Utah County High School Player of the Week is awarded each week to the top prep boy’s and girl’s basketball players in Utah County. Sponsored by Mr. Mac, it honors athletes for their performances on the court and exceptional play. Our winners for week two were Easton Hawkins from Lehi […]

...

Northern Utah High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 1

SALT LAKE CITY – The John Watson Northern Utah High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Northern Utah. Presented by John Watson Chevrolet in Ogden, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week one of the season were Sam Romer from […]

salt lake county player of the week...

Salt Lake County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 1

SALT LAKE CITY – The Hercules Salt Lake County High School Player of the Week is celebrating the best high school basketball players in Salt Lake County. Presented by Hercules First Federal Credit Union, each week we honor athletes for their exceptional performance on the gridiron. Our winners for week one were Beckham Bayles from Cyprus High […]

...

Utah County High School Basketball Players of the Week – Week 1

SALT LAKE CITY – The Mr. Mac Utah County High School Player of the Week is awarded each week to the top prep boy’s and girl’s basketball players in Utah County. Sponsored by Mr. Mac, it honors athletes for their performances on the court and exceptional play. Our winners for week one were Jaxon McCuistion from Timpanogos […]

42. The Jazz Future With Miye Oni