Jazz sign Brazilian point guard Raul Neto to multi-year deal
Tap here to view theScore's NBA Offseason Tracker, which includes the latest transactions and rumors.
The Utah Jazz have gone international again, announcing the signing of Brazilian point guard Raul Neto.
The contract is for three years and $2.8 million, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. That's a shade higher than what Neto's minimum salary would be, and could mean the Jazz used a part of their Room Exception to bring the CB Murica product in.
The 23-year-old has developed as hoped after being drafted 47th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2013 and acquired by the Jazz on draft night. The MVP of adidas EUROCAMP 2013 and a member of the Brazilian national team at the 2012 Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup, Neto's league play has improved, as well.
He averaged 8.9 points, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34 games this season in the Spanish ACB league, the second-best league in the world. The only concern with his game may be that his somewhat shaky 3-point stroke abandoned him in 2014-15, as he hit 20.5 percent from outside. That's a skill most NBA point guards need, and it could be the difference between Neto projecting as a backup or a third-string guard.