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Could Terrell Brown Jr. Steal a Jazz Two-Way Roster Spot?
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- Could Terrell Brown Jr. Steal a Jazz Two-Way Roster Spot?
(Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)
The terms of Terrell Brown Jr.'s agreement with the Utah Jazz still haven't been reported, leaving plenty of uncertainty surrounding what the organization has planned for its latest addition.
But there's one possibility we didn't examine yesterday.
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Could Brown be coming to Salt Lake City to compete for a two-way spot?
Utah already has all three occupied by Blake Hinson , Trey Alexander and Tamar Bates , meaning Brown couldn't simply earn one by impressing throughout training camp.
The Jazz would have to decide he's worth moving on from someone they've already committed to developing — and there isn't necessarily an obvious choice.
Hinson has already made the most of his opportunity in Utah. After signing a two-year, two-way contract in February, the former Pittsburgh forward appeared in 14 games for the Jazz and averaged 11.9 points while shooting 46.8 percent from beyond the arc. He even erupted for a career-high 30 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in April.
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Hinson also dropped more than 20 pounds this offseason, something Jazz assistant Steve Wojciechowski believes has helped the 26-year-old become a more capable defender.
So if Brown is coming for someone's spot, Hinson would seemingly be an unlikely candidate.
Alexander presents a more interesting comparison.
Like Brown, much of his professional résumé has been built in the G League. Alexander won G League Rookie of the Year in 2024-25 before averaging 24 points, 7.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds last season. Utah signed the former Creighton guard to a two-way contract in July.
Brown has significantly more experience at 28, but it's difficult to argue that his G League production separates him from Alexander enough to justify Utah moving on from a player five years younger.
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Then there's Bates, who may be the biggest unknown of the group.
The 23-year-old missed much of his rookie season after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured left foot, preventing him from making his NBA debut with Denver .
But Bates was impressive when healthy, averaging 19.5 points across 13 G League appearances while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from three.
Utah only signed Bates in July, too, so giving up on that investment before he plays a regular-season game for the organization would be surprising ... which brings us back to Brown.
The former Washington star doesn't have youth working in his favor, but he does have something none of Utah's current two-way players can claim: four seasons of G League experience capped by a championship.
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Brown averaged 11.2 points, 6.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds for Greensboro last season while becoming the first player in G League history to record consecutive triple-doubles off the bench.
His transition from a scoring guard into more of a facilitator has been intentional, something Brown discussed while explaining what he's learned during his pursuit of an NBA opportunity.
He also has an interesting connection already waiting in Utah.
Jazz assistant Jason Terry is Brown's godfather and coached him during Brown's lone season at Arizona before the guard transferred to Washington. Brown credited Terry earlier this year with helping him understand how a scorer can impact games in other ways.
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That relationship shouldn't be confused with evidence that Terry played a role in bringing Brown to Utah, but it does mean someone on the Jazz's coaching staff knows exactly what the veteran guard brings to the table.
For now ... Brown doesn't have a two-way spot to claim.
Hinson has already produced in Utah, Alexander has been one of the G League's better guards and Bates is only beginning his opportunity with the organization.
But Brown has spent four years waiting for his first NBA appearance.
If his undisclosed agreement with Utah gives him an opportunity to compete for one, he'll have training camp to convince the Jazz that one of those three spots would be better used on him.
