The Utah Jazz officially introduced recently acquired Ed Davis and Jeff Green Friday at the Zion’s Bank Basketball Center.
📓| “I wanted to play on a veteran team, a team that had a chance to contend for the title at the end of the year.”
More from @eddavisXVII & @unclejeffgreen’s introduction as Jazzmen ⤵️
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 26, 2019
Davis last played for the Brooklyn Nets where he averaged 5.8 points per game and pulled down 8.6 rebounds per contest in 17.9 minutes. He also was second in ESPN’s defensive plus-minus last season. Second to only to the Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.
When asked what interested him in coming to Utah, the answer was pretty simple.
“At this stage of my career,” Davis said. “I wanted to play on a veteran team, a team that had a chance to contend for the title at the end of the year.”
Green last played with the Washington Wizardsand averaged 12.3 points per game and four rebounds per game. He agreed with Davis about what this Utah Jazz team can accomplish. He is also excited to play with great defensive centers in Gobert and Davis.
“They’re going to fight,” Green said. “Having bigs like that, for a guy that has to guard on the perimeter, that’s very comforting.”
Both Green and Davis played with the Jazz’s new point guard Mike Conley in Memphis, but not at the same time. However, both spoke highly of the former Grizzly.
Davis said Conley was one of the reasons he made a decision so quickly to join his new team.
“I talked to him before I made the decision to come here,” Davis said. “He definitely gave me confidence that this team was ready.”
Green said his wife and Conley’s wife became good friends while there and he grew a close bond with the new Jazz point guard.
“We’re great friends. We talk a lot,” said Green. “He’s a good guy. He’s somebody who’s going to be there for you and always lend a helping hand.”
The team announced its preseason home games last week. The Jazz will play October 5th against the Adelaide 36ers from Australia. They will take on the Sacramento Kings October 14 and the Portland Trailblazers October 16.
