Utah Jazz notes: Trey Burke happy for Jazz, enjoying new role with Wizards

Washington D.C. • To hear Trey Burke speak on his time with the Utah Jazz and his trade to the Washington Wizards is to think the former Jazz lottery pick was placed in a win-win situation.

Burke — who faced his old team for the first time on Sunday afternoon — expressed joy at Utah's success, and the fact that the Jazz are a winning organization for the first time in five years.

All the same, Burke said he's having fun again. The Wizards are sitting in the third spot in the Eastern Conference. Burke has a solid spot in Washington's rotation, and the relationships he built during his time in Salt Lake City still remain.

"I still talk to Rodney (Hood) and Alec (Burks) regularly," Burke said. "People think that I left the Jazz on bad terms and that's not true. I have a lot of friendships, and I'm happy for those guys and what they've accomplished this season. I love being in a winning situation for the first time in my career. And I'm learning a lot from playing behind an all-star in John Wall."

Burke is Washington's primary back-up point guard. Initially, his adjustment period was a difficult one. Wall is so good and so dynamic that playing behind him is a demanding task. Burke knows that he can't replicate what Wall brings nightly. He knew that he had to find a niche, while keeping the Wizards offense humming at the beginning of second and fourth quarters.

So, Burke has figured a way to make his impact.

He's shooting the ball a career-best 44 percent from the field. He's a 42 percent shooter from 3-point range. He's making 75 percent of his free-throws. He plays 12 minutes a game, and his shooting has endeared him to his coaching staff.

"Trey's had his ups and downs," Washington coach Scott Brooks said. "But he's shooting the ball extremely well, and it's tough for someone to do with the time he usually gets. He's figuring things out. He's not a traditional point guard. He's just a guard, and he's someone who goes out and plays. He's been good for us."

Repercussions

Jazz center Rudy Gobert was fined $25,000 Sunday by the NBA for making contact with an official during Utah's win over the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night. Gobert, in protesting a foul call, ran down and bumped an official. He was assessed a technical foul in the process.

"I've spoken to Rudy and he's contrite," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "I don't think what happened was his intent. He knows that is unacceptable. I don't expect it to happen again, and we're just going to move forward."

Not worried

Snyder said he lauded shooting guard Rodney Hood for his defense Friday against Milwaukee. Hood had a difficult shooting night, 1-for-9 from the field. But Hood was able to contribute in other areas, Snyder said.

tjones@sltrib.com

Twitter: @tribjazz