Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Stanton Kidd is a journeyman. There’s really no other way to describe his professional basketball career. He’s played in Turkey. He’s played in Germany. He’s played in Belgium.
He’ll be pretty happy with his next stop: Salt Lake City.
The fight for the Utah Jazz’s final roster spot is officially on. Well, at least, it will be once training camp opens come late September.
The Jazz officially signed French forward William Howard and Kidd, the team announced on Wednesday. The two players will likely compete for Utah’s 15th and final roster spot with players likely being brought in on camp deals as well.
After spending last season in Turkey, playing for Darussafaka of the Basketball Super League, Kidd was one of the bright spots for the Jazz’s summer league squads over the last two weeks, both in Salt Lake and in Las Vegas.
During the SLC Summer League, Kidd averaged 7.3 points and 3.0 rebounds. Then in Las Vegas, Kidd scored 8.2 points per game to go along with 2.6 rebounds.
More importantly, though, he showed he can defend NBA caliber players.
That was enough to earn him an extended look with the Jazz. Because it certainly wasn’t his shooting that earned him the deal. He struggled with the deep ball, shooting 2-of-9 from three against the Hornets, 1-for-7 against the Rockets and 1-of-5 against the Rockets. In order to stick with the Jazz, he’ll have to show he can hit more shots.
And the search for some outside shooting is one of the reasons Howard is joining the team as well.
Howard played for Limoges of the LNB Pro A in France, where he averaged 9.5 points and 3.8 rebounds last season. While 25-year-old shot 34% from 3-point range last season, in 2017-18, he was 40% from deep on his way to averaging 11 points per game.
Howard was on the Jazz’s Summer League roster in both Vegas and in Salt Lake City but dealt with an undisclosed injury entering Summer League play and didn’t end up playing in a game.
