Utah Jazz Add Forward DeMarre Carroll, Sign of a Trade on the Horizon?

Per the Salt Lake Tribune, the Utah Jazz signed forward DeMarre Carroll yesterday. Carrol played four games for the Denver Nuggets at the beginning of the season and averaged three points and 0.8 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game.

Carroll was the 27th pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and is listed at 6'8" and 212 pounds. He played his 2010-11 season with the NBA D-League Dakota Wizards, where he averaged 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 35.8 minutes per game.

This is an interesting move for the Jazz, and may be a sign that a trade is coming.

It is obvious watching the team play that they are completely unbalanced, with the frontcourt strength powering the team to victories, while the backcourt remains a liability.

One position that is particularly weak on the Jazz this season is the point guard. One-time All-Star Devon Harris is a shadow of his former self, and while Earl Watson beings intensity and assists off the bench, he does not contribute many points (currently averaging only 3.7 per game).

Moving a valuable asset like Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, Enes Kanter or Derrick Favors would give the Jazz a chance to bring a consistent scorer to the point guard position, though it is a move many fans are fearing.

The 2011-12 Jazz are not built to win a title, a fact I think everyone watching them and within the organization should be aware of. Their strength, other than in the paint, is that they are a young roster built for the future.

Hopefully GM Kevin O’Connor is simply signing Carroll in order to give banged up Al Jefferson some time to rest, but chances are the solid core that is the Jazz frontcourt might not stay around long.