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The Jazz Could Experiment for a Season
Once again, Bojan Bogdanovic finds himself relocating, this time back to the Indiana Pacers. I’m sorry, Bogey, but your contract makes it so easy to trade you for young talent.
Pacers Get
Bojan Bogdanovic
Mike Conley
2023 1st round pick via MIN
2027 1st round pick
The Indiana Pacers have moved on from Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogden, so they clearly are on the rebuild. They have the means to take on two fairly large contracts, including Mike Conley. Conley leaving means Utah can play better players like Clarkson, Beverly, or perhaps a different player (Tre Jones?) at point guard alongside Mitchell, and they would have some room to sign a starting quality player next season.
In return for taking on those contracts and giving up Myles Turner, the Pacers would require at least two draft picks. Turner only has a year left on his contract anyway, so if it doesn’t work out Utah can cut ties and spend cash on a different guy.
I think Myles Turner would workout, though. He is an absurdly good shot blocker and at age 25 has led the league twice. He can step out and knock down the occasional three, and while he isn’t an elite rebounder like Rudy Gobert, he can spread the floor and play more of a combination center/forward position.
Even though he is a good center now, I think in Utah, with Mitchell and company, he could turn into a really good center, if not a great one. He has all the physical tools, but never really got a chance to play alongside a generational shooting guard in Indiana. Donovan Mitchell could be just what he needs.
At the end of the day, the Utah Jazz are fully loaded up to either build to the future or make a real run at the Western Conference. They cannot do both, so the organization is at a fork in the road. Either way, they will find some success. Do you want it now, or later, when the NBA is not so top-heavy?
Utah Jazz</a> moved one of the best players in franchise history earlier this week, sending <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/goberru01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Rudy Gobert</a> to Minnesota for role players and four first-round picks. With these picks, the Jazz could flip some players at the trade deadline for more draft capital and look towards a rebuild, or they could use the picks to obtain a win-now player.</p>
<p>With a backcourt of Patrick Beverly, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Donovan Mitchell</a>, and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/clarkjo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jordan Clarkson</a>, the Jazz need to beef up their frontcourt if they want to compete in a loaded western conference. With Gobert out, they have some options to experiment with at center. <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kesslwa01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Walker Kessler</a> and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/azubuud01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Udoka Azubuike</a> come to mind, but they are not tried and true NBA players. For a more instant impact, Utah will have to shop around a bit. Luckily, they have the assets to do so.</p>
<h3>The Jazz take a Hit but get a Starting Center</h3>
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<p>At the cost of some salary space and a single first-round pick, the Utah Jazz could add the league’s second-best version of Rudy Gobert. <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/poeltja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jakob Poeltl</a> of San Antonio is not quite the defender Gobert is, but he plays a similar game.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Trade" data-team-ids="[118,29]" data-team-gets="[["Jakob Poeltl","Doug McDermott","Tre Jones"],["Rudy Gay","Bogan Bogdanovic","2023 1st round pick via MIN"]]"
> <div class="playertrade remove-native-227"> <div class="trade"> <div class="team a"> <div class="logo"><img src=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fjazz.png"/>
<div class="details"> <div class="team-name">Jazz Get</div> <div class="info">Jakob Poeltl</div> <div class="info">Doug McDermott</div> <div class="info">Tre Jones</div> </div> </div> <div class="separator"></div> <div class="team b"> <div class="logo"><img src=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fspurs.png"/>
<div class="details"> <div class="team-name">Spurs Get</div> <div class="info">Rudy Gay</div> <div class="info">Bogan Bogdanovic</div> <div class="info">2023 1st round pick via MIN</div> </div> </div> </div> </div>
</div>
<p>Yes, Utah would have to give up <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bogdabo02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Bojan Bogdanovic</a> and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gayru01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Rudy Gay</a>, but their return would be <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcderdo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Doug McDermott</a> and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jonestr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Tre Jones</a>. McDermott and Bogdanovic are near clones of each other, but San Antonio is trying to clear cap space for next season. McDermott is under contract for two seasons, and Bogdanovic for only one, so the Spurs get what they want here.</p>
<p>To compensate for picking up McDermott’s contract, the Jazz get defensive stud, Tre Jones. Jones is one of the best pure defensive point guards in the league, but people are unfamiliar with him because he played behind <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/murrade01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Dejounte Murray</a>. Jones is not a scorer, but an excellent ball-handler who does not turn the rock over.</p>
<p>Jones and Clarkson would pair together greatly as the second unit after Beverly and Mitchell. Two similar units, opposing offenses and defenses would never get a break.</p>
<p>The real hit to Utah is the loss of a 2023 first-round pick. Luckily, the Jazz own their own, Brooklyn’s, and Minnesota’s, so dropping one shouldn’t hurt the team too much. Considering the trajectory all three teams are on, there is no chance any pick ends up in the lottery, so just to simplify things I’ll say Utah sends San Antonio the Timberwolves’ pick.</p>
<p>The end result of this trade? A solid center to pair with All-Star Donovan Mitchell, a sharpshooting forward on a slightly worse contract than Bogdanovic, and a great backup point guard, effectively for a washed vet and a late first-round pick. I say it’s a clear win, and the Spurs are in the right situation to pull the trigger.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Big Trade Loses Two Picks </a>
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<h3><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><p>A Trade with Atlanta Puts Utah on Highlight Reels
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<p>Donovan Mitchell is one of the flashiest players in the league, so pairing him with an athletic forward who can get above the rim would put Utah on ESPN every night. Take note. <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=collijo01,collijo02&search=John+Collins&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">John Collins</a> is an athletic power forward who can step out and hit the three. He’s good for 15-20 points every night, and Atlanta wants him gone.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Trade" data-team-ids="[118,125]" data-team-gets="[["John Collins"],["Bojan Bogdanovic","2023 1st round pick via MIN","2027 first round pick"]]"
> <div class="playertrade remove-native-227"> <div class="trade"> <div class="team a"> <div class="logo"><img src=https://thejnotes.com/2022/07/02/utah-jazz-three-win-now-trades-newfound-draft-capital/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fjazz.png"/>
