SALT LAKE CITY – The Celtics got theirs. So did New York and Orlando. In an off-season featuring a few teams mortgaging their salary caps (and their futures) to pick up those one or two players who can take them to the top, the Utah Jazz quietly got in on the action and rolled out their latest addition — Ronnie Price.
Granted, Price is no Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen. Heck, comparing him to Zach Randolph is laughable. Just don’t tell him that. Price thinks he has what it takes to help the Jazz return to the Western Conference Finals and — who knows — maybe even further.
“I’m gonna be that guy,” Price said Wednesday afternoon. “I’m gonna work hard and be ready whenever I’m called upon.”
Jazz fans certainly know what the former UVSC guard is capable of. Price led the Wolverines with the nation’s third-best scoring average at 24.3 points a pop during his senior season.
Though he went undrafted, the Sacramento Kings and the Utah Jazz both vied for his services — a tough decision for Price that might ultimately have been decided by the fact that the Jazz were already carrying a handful of point guards including Keith McLeod and newly drafted Deron Williams.
“Coming out of college, this was really the team I wanted to play for,” Price said.
Now that he’s gained a little seasoning and is returning to his second home, Price believes he’s matured enough to help the Jazz reach new heights.
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason,” he said.
The 6-foot-2 combo-guard saw limited action during his two years with the Kings. In a role that asked him to come off the bench behind Mike Bibby, Price provided instant athleticism and plenty of heart on top of his three points and one rebound per game. His all-out play endeared him to Sacramento fans, something Jazz fans might come to appreciate as well.
One particular example came last season in a game against the Golden State Warriors. Price had just turned the ball over and Warrior’s guard Mickael Pietrus had a clear lane for an easy dunk. Rather than let it go, Price soared behind the 6-6 swingman and blocked him as both crashed to the floor, leaving Price bloodied and done for the night.
“When we went into this season, I thought some of the things we needed to address were length, a little bit more athleticism and being able to defend the perimeter,” said Jazz senior vice president of basketball operations Kevin O’Connor. “Right now, (Ronnie) does a terrific job of guarding people if you watch the film of him last year.”
Pietrus would probably pass on the footage. Jazz fans don’t need any explanation of Price’s dunk of the year — a YouTube favorite.
“I’m pretty sure he won’t let me do it again in practice,” Price said of his posterization over Utah’s Carlos Boozer last November.
So how does Price fit into the Jazz’s plans?
“I’m going to enjoy playing for coach Sloan. I love playing defense,” Price said. “I know this is a defensive-minded team and coach Sloan is a defensive-minded coach.”
Jazz fans everywhere can relax. This is one free agent who is genuinely excited about coming to Utah. “I’ll do whatever the coach asks me to do – come in and play defense for ten minutes or give somebody a breather for five minutes or just play 30 minutes,” Price said. “Whatever it is, I’m going to be right there to give 110 percent.”
With an already-crowded backcourt that has seen the budding stardom of Williams and a summer-signing of Jason Hart, Price will need all 110 percent to get on the floor.
Price knows he can be “that guy.” His teammates, Sloan and the rest of Utah will soon find out.