NBA Utah Jazz

Joe Ingles Signing an Intriguing Move For Utah Jazz

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By @mrmarykateolsen

Joe Ingles Utah Jazz Dante Exum Carrick Felix Australia

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Over the course of the Las Vegas Summer League, the FIBA World Cup and the NBA preseason, a growing contingent of Utah Jazz fans became enamored with the idea of Brock Motum finding a spot on the team’s regular season roster and helping fellow Australian Dante Exum adapt to both his new team and country. Now it appears as though another Boomer, the 6-foot-8, 216-pound Joe Ingles, could fill that role.

Despite his impressive play for Utah’s summer league squad, Motum was ultimately cut from the team last week. The Jazz also waived guard Carrick Felix to make room for Ingles and fellow signing Jordan Hamilton. The acquisitions should serve as a boon to the club’s struggling bench. Whereas Felix and Motum would’ve had a difficult time getting onto the court, Ingles and Hamilton both have an ability to factor into coach Quin Snyder‘s rotation.

Ingles had spent the preseason with the Los Angeles Clippers but was cut by Doc Rivers last Friday. Now he finds his way to the Jazz, where he’ll serve as a mentor of sorts for Exum. He has already stated that he’d like to room with the 19-year-old, much as the two did this past summer as teammates on the Australian National team. Exum is probably more than pleased with the turn of events; the first autograph he acquired from a professional ball player as a youngster was from Ingles, who has been something of a hero to last June’s No. 5 overall draft pick.

Despite all of that being the case, to say that Ingles was brought in simply to hold Exum’s hand would be selling him short as a basketball player. The 27-year-old is a versatile competitor who can help the Jazz at both wing positions and provide defense to a team that is trying to make the jump from last season’s worst-in-the-league performance to defensive respectability.

Whether or not he can remain with the team long-term has yet to be determined. For now, his signing is as an intriguing move that has the potential to pay dividends for the Jazz bench, as well as the development of Exum.

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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