Insider Reveals Jazz's Vision for 2024-25 After Patty Mills Signing

The Utah Jazz are being methodical in their approach ahead of next season.

Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Australia guard Patty Mills (5) shoots the ball against Serbia point guard Aleksa Avramovic (30) during the second half in men’s basketball quarterfinals during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz made their rounds across NBA news this week amid their most recent free agency signing for the season ahead.

With their final roster spot on the 15-man, the Jazz agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal to bring veteran guard Patty Mills into the fold for 2024-25, effectively adding another piece into Utah's projected backcourt for next season.

The latest move raised some questions around the fanbase, as when looking on paper, Mills doesn't quite fit the timeline of a young, rebuilding Jazz team. The 2014 NBA champion is coming fresh off of his 36th birthday and now joins a roster with only five other players above the age of 25, with many of those youthful players eyeing a more expansive role this season.

However, NBA insider Tony Jones of The Athletic provided some context as to why the Jazz made the move, and what that means for the roster going forward.

According to Jones, the "vision" for the Jazz regarding Mills this year will be to primarily focus on his mentorship for the team's young players as Utah hones in on their development for 2024-25:

"A little on the Patty Mills signing. I wouldn’t expect it to be official for a few weeks. Think the Jazz want to continue to keep financial options open. The vision here is for Patty to mentor on and off the floor. The Jazz want to develop youth this season."

- Tony Jones of The Athletic, via X

Considering where both the Mills and the Jazz are at, seeing the 36-year-old take a backseat in the rotation this year would be a pretty likely outcome. He's coming off a season with the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat where he played a total of 32 games, posting 4.0 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

Instead of utilizing Mills as a key reserve, the Jazz can turn to their younger options in the backcourt with higher ceilings like Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George, and even Johnny Juzang as a better fit for those minutes. Prioritizing that youth effectively moves the needle forward for this progressing rebuild, and will hopefully make for a better and brighter future in Salt Lake City-- even if the big wins don't come on the board as early as next season.

While we may not see a ton of action on the floor for Mills this season, expect the veteran guard to have a major role as a locker room component and an aide to the future of this budding Jazz core.

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