The Utah Jazz have looked for ways to shake out of a slumpy stretch of the season, having lost five in a row, won four straight, and then lost in their last three games, slipping to fifth place behind the Houston Rockets in the process. In efforts to shuffle up the lineup, the Jazz will move newcomer Mike Conley Jr. to a bench role in favor of Royce O'Neale, according to Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic.

Conley has been an iffy fit since the Jazz traded for him in the summer, hoping to give star Donovan Mitchell a fitting partner in the backcourt. His ability to hit shots, play off the ball, and run the offense were seen as perfect complements for a young Mitchell, who had withstood the burden of it all during the 2018-19 season.

Conley has been riddled with injuries since being traded to the Jazz and has had an underwhelming role in the backcourt while playing for a different team for the first time after spending his first 12 years with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The lefty is averaging 13.4 points (the fewest since his third year in the league) along with 3.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season — averages that hardly merit his $32.5 million contract, the highest of any Jazz player this season.

O'Neale would take the power forward spot as a bona-fide defender, allowing Joe Ingles to have a more prominent role as a facilitator in the offense. The Jazz have recently faced a lot of defensive issues, and putting this double-edged sword in the starting five could help them solve some of those woes.