During his five years with the Utah Jazz, Joe Ingles has seen the team rise from frisky fringe playoff team to a solid, well-rounded and respected squad known for discipline and hard-nosed D.
He's seen them win a playoff series on the backs of first Gordon Hayward and then Donovan Mitchell. He's seen Rudy Gobert evolve into arguably the best defensive player in the league. He's overlapped with Quin Snyder, who has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the NBA's brightest coaches. He's seen the return to stability for a franchise with a model ownership, front office and fan base.
But stability isn't always sexy. And while nobody has taken the Jazz lightly, nobody has taken them too seriously either, at least when it comes to identifying the heavyweights and true title contenders. For all the talk about that discipline and hard-nosed D, you'd be hard-pressed to find many put the Jazz in the same breath as the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets or any of the other teams truly going for all of the glory.
Until now.
After a summer in which they upgraded with the additions of Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic, the Jazz suddenly find themselves among the teams that truly matter in championship chatter. As of now, their over/under is 54.5 wins, which is tied with the LA Clippers and Rockets for best in the Western Conference.
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Though the shiny new toys – not to mention Mitchell and Gobert – might get most of the much-warranted attention, the key to the Jazz living up to their lofty expectations might just be the sweet-shooting Aussie entering his sixth season in Utah.
Here are five of the biggest questions for Joe Ingles entering the 2019-20 season.
How does his role change with Conley and Bogdanovic?
There might not be anyone on the roster in line for a bigger adjustment than Ingles.
For the last two seasons, Ingles essentially filled the part of secondary playmaker alongside Donovan Mitchell. For a scoring-starved squad that started a non-shooter at point guard in Ricky Rubio and featured a defensive-minded centre in Rudy Gobert, Ingles played a pivotal role in running second units and creating at the end of the clock whenever it wasn't just "give the ball to Mitchell and get out of the way" time.
He averaged more front-court touches per game than any player on the team and ranked among the most pass-happy drive and kick players in the league. Utah relied on Ingles to be a creator and he obliged, evolving into a crafty and efficient on-ball offensive force.
With Conley and Bogdanovic now on board, there won't be nearly as many touches to go around. Much has been made about how their presence will dramatically reduce the burden on Mitchell but make no mistake: he'll still get his.
Where that could really manifest itself is in the play of Ingles, who should spend far more time off the ball.
That's no knock on Ingles. Conley is among the most sure-handed decision makers in the league while Bogdanovic averaged over 20 points per game as Indiana's leading scorer last season following the injury to Victor Oladipo. Both are deserving of their looks alongside Mitchell in an offense that should be far more potent than in year's past.
That does, however, open up an avenue for Ingles to bring home some hardware...
Could he win Sixth Man of the Year?
Only seven players started all 82 games last season.
So on the surface, it might sound absurd to suggest a move to the bench for Ingles. But with much of his on-ball utility marginalized in lineups featuring Mitchell, Conley and Bogdanovic, there's a case to be made that he's better served to start games on the bench and come in to run second units as either a primary or secondary creator alongside one of that trio.
It wouldn't be a demotion as much as a change in roles. Think of it as a cross between Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala, massively important pieces that still close games and factor into the biggest moments.
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Although recently the Sixth Man of the Year has been given to the high volume bench scorers in the mold of Williams, which might give pause to his chances for fear that he wouldn't score enough to win it, there is precedent.
Jamal Crawford was the fifth-leading scorer off the bench for a 53-win Clippers team in 2015-16, serving as the lead playmaker in the non-CP3 minutes while also closing games.
Lamar Odom averaged 14.4 points per game off the bench for a 57-win Lakers team in 2010-11, often running the show in the non-Kobe minutes while also closing games.
Should Ingles's sacrifice in the form of accepting and thriving in a reserve role result in Utah finishing in the high 50s or even low 60s, he'll surely get recognition from astute voters looking to reward Utah for making a leap.
Can he lead the NBA in 3-point shooting?
In 2016-17 and 2017-18, Ingles was one of the NBA's best sharpshooters. The only player to shoot over 44% from beyond the arc in each of those seasons, Ingles feasted on a heavy dose of catch-and-shoot 3s. Almost 80% of his 3-pointers came on catch and shoots, a shot which he converted over 46% of the time.
Last season his 3-point percentage took a dive down to 39%, still very good just not elite. It was largely a result of that heavier creation burden as nearly a third of his triples came off the bounce, a shot he converted at a 38% clip.
With Mitchell, Conley and Bogdanovic creating – not to mention post kickouts from Gobert, an underrated passer in his own right – Ingles should be a threat to finish as the league's 3-point king as his offensive diet should contain a much heavier dose of clean spot-up looks. When he doesn't need to put the ball on the deck, Ingles has shown that he can be the single-most deadly knock down shooter in the league.
Look out for a return to form from downtown.
Can he remain the NBA's Iron Man?
There's a saying that the best ability is availability and in today's basketball world where terms like 'load management' and 'DNP-rest' have entered the everyday lexicon of even casual NBA fans, Joe Ingles stands alone.
All 82 games in each of the last three seasons... he's the only player in the NBA who can make the claim.
Dating back to December 16, 2015 - the last time he did not suit up - Ingles has played in 304 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA. Though barely a quarter of the way to the all-time NBA Ironman record for 1,192 set by A.C. Green over the better part of 14 years, Ingles's streak runs counter to the growing trend of healthy scratches and risk avoidance.
Beyond simply a number, Ingles's streak - much like his nickname and actual game - symbolizes the steadying and soothing impact he's had on the Jazz. For a team that's about to introduce two major players bound to change roles and identies up and down the roster, the Aussie's constant presence will surely help maintain stability and overcome any early struggles sometimes associated with the incorporation of new faces.
Don't sleep on Iron Man's importance.
Can he become the Australian Manu Ginobili?
A crafty and skilled lefty for a winning franchise capable of taking over games off the bench when called upon? When have we seen that before?
For the San Antonio Spurs to reach their true potential, they needed Manu Ginobili.
On the floor, his ingenuity and fearlessness manifested itself by the manner in which he routinely look over games for long stretches.
Off the floor, his decision to not only accept but embrace his role helped foster and maintain a selfless winning culture that's unrivaled anywhere else in the NBA.
For the Jazz to become perennial contenders defined by a run of sustained success, they'll need their version of Ginobili.
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Ingles can fill that role, the embodiment of everything that this version of Utah has come to stand for. Just as Ginobili embraced change and adapted roles over time for the greater good, so too can Ingles as he works towards making his mark for a team set up to win for years to come.
The Argentinean legend turned 32 in the summer of 2009 and remained an impact player for nearly a decade to come.
Ingles turns 32 this October and is now in position to remain a difference maker for a team dreaming big.
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