The Jazz have signed former 2013 No. 4 pick Cody Zeller to a training camp deal, according to reporting from The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Tony Jones.
The 29-year-old Zeller fell out of the NBA last season after disappointing with the Portland Trail Blazers, being waived on February 8 after signing a minimum deal. But before that, Zeller enjoyed a productive 8-year career with the Charlotte Hornets, starting 273 games, averaging 13.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per 36 minutes.
The center joins a very shallow center rotation for Utah: rookie Walker Kessler and third-year player Udoka Azubuike are the only traditional centers on the roster at the time of Zeller’s signing. New acquisition Jarred Vanderbilt and veteran Rudy Gay have played spot center in their career, but have never played there full-time.
But because the deal isn’t guaranteed, Zeller’s future with the Jazz may depend on future trades the organization makes. In particular, the team currently has 17 players under normal guaranteed contracts, while the team will need to get down to 15 by the time the season rolls around in mid-October. Should the Jazz waive him, they would retain his G-League rights, and Zeller could stand ready-in-waiting while playing for the Salt Lake City Stars.
Two of Zeller’s brothers, Luke and Tyler, have also played in the NBA. According to Basketball Reference, Zeller’s nickname is “The Big Handsome.”
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