Unsung Hero: Favors’ Value Goes Beyond Raw Numbers

Favors has been a key to a lot of big Jazz moments.

It’s a well-known fact that Derrick Favors is a beloved Jazz man. Every season there are fans ready to riot when his name is mentioned in trade rumors. And well they should. Not only is he the longest-tenured Jazz player, but he has also proven crucial down the stretch in key games. He doesn’t always get a chance to close, but on the occasion when he’s among those still giving an effort for the team, Quin Snyder looks to him to keep playing with tenacity and fire. In the team’s last two playoff runs, Favors had key plays that likely won Utah the first-round series against the Clippers in 2017 and the Thunder in 2018.

This season, he’s had numerous games where he grabbed a key rebound or had a huge block that helped decide the outcome of a game. And he does all this while being relegated to the role of Rudy Gobert’s back-up for most of his minutes and being forced into 10-ish minutes a game playing in a lineup with Ricky Rubio and Gobert that has clearly struggled to score. 

Derrick knew what he was signing up for when he re-signed with the Jazz last summer. He loves the team, the organization, the state, and the fans. He sacrificed his legacy to stay a part of this core. And because of all this, the first thought about Derrick Favors and his current season is that he’s probably struggling with his stats and would be best served as a true five on a different team where he doesn’t have to back up Rudy. And in terms of his per game numbers, they are down, even compared to last season. 

But as you might expect, those raw numbers don’t always tell the full tale. 

Because NBA players all play varying amounts of minutes, it’s not always fair to compare the base numbers even if that is what they end up producing for the team. To get a true comparison, it’s often best to look at the per 36 minutes (or per 75 possessions if you want a true approximation of what an NBA starter typically sees in a game) as this will help level the field. 

In these terms, Derrick is having his 3rd best season and his best year since 2015-2016. Per 36 minutes, Favors is averaging 17.7 points  and over 11 rebounds. He’s actually having his best season by far in terms of WS/48 minutes and Box Plus Minus at .203 and 3.8 respectively. 

In PER (player efficiency rating), Derrick Favors is second on the Jazz behind only Rudy and is 31st in the league at 21.1. He ranks ahead of names like Kemba Walker, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, Mike Conley, Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. And just behind names like Blake Griffin and Lou Williams. 

Derrick Favors is quietly having an incredible season and is an unsung hero in the success the Jazz have found in 2019.