The goal of NBA Hoops Online is to bring you unique basketball history and stats not found anywhere else on the internet, and the site delivers! Click on the site and on X @NBABoards for historical NBA news you will only find there! In this article Branigan provides a Utah Jazz Trade Deadline preview.
The NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching and the Utah Jazz look to be major players in the action before Thursday February 6. The Jazz are one of only a handful of teams with enough expiring contracts, salary room beneath the luxury tax and other assets, to really control what goes on during the lead up to Thursdays deadline.
Jazz Trade Deadline Preview: Setting the Stage
In the past few years the Jazz have been players at the deadline, but they for the most part have been historically irrelevant at the deadline. Last year the Jazz made a pair of trades, one on the day of the deadline and one the day before. The day before the deadline they sent Simone Fontecchio to the Detroit Pistons for Kevin Knox, the draft rights to Gabriele Procida and a 2024 second round pick they used to select Kyle Filipowski.
On the deadline itself, the Jazz traded Ochai Agbaji and Kelly Olynyk to the Toronto Raptors for Kira Lewis Jr, Otto Porter Jr, and a 2024 first round pick they used on isaiah Collier. So that will the Jazz do in 2025?
The first thing that needs to be mentioned, is that the Jazz have completed two trades very recently. In Mid-January they sent a 2025, 2027, and 2029 First Round draft pick to the Phoenix Suns for the Suns 2031 Unprotected First Round pick. Then on February 1st, they traded Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills to the Los Angeles Clippers for Mo Bamba, PJ Tucker, a future 2nd round pick and cash.
Markkanen’s Status: Off the Table
The second big to mention is that there is a zero percent change the Jazz move star Lauri Markkanen at the deadline. They legally can’t trade him because Markkanen signed an extension on August 8, 2024, and they need to wait six-months before he becomes trade eligible and that period is past the deadline.
Tanking for Flagg: The Big Picture
The Jazz are one of the bottom feeders in the NBA right now who are playing “Capture the Flagg” – a reference to trying to be as terrible as possible to land the #1 pick in next Junes draft and select Duke Forward Cooper Flagg. This is relevant in the trade talks because it means the Jazz are not likely to make a trade that will make them better, and while technically acquiring Bamba and Tucker from the Clippers does make them better, neither player is expected to be on Utah’s roster past the 6th.
Draft Capital: A Treasure Trove
So what assets do the Jazz have?
The Jazz are loaded down with draft picks. They have their 2025 first round draft pick, and the better of Minnesota’s or Cleveland’s first round pick. They have their own 2026, top 8 protected first next year as well. if the pick falls 9-30 the pick goes to Oklahoma City from the Derrick Favors trade made in 2021, the Jazz also have a pick swap from Minnesota -but that is likely not going to be used. In 2027 they have the best two first out of theirs, Cleveland’s and Minnesota’s.
They also have a top 4 protected pick from the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2028 they have the better first round pick between theirs and Cleveland’s. In 2029 they have the better two of their firsts, Cleveland’s first, and Minnesota’s first (Top 5 protected). In 2030 they have their first. In 2031 they have their first and Phoenix’s first round pick.
The Jazz do not have many 2nd round draft picks. In 2026 and 2027 they have theirs, but they cannot be traded because the first they owe Oklahoma City turns into these picks if it does not convey. The Jazz also have a swap with the Clippers in 2030 and the Clippers 2031 second round pick.
I mention the picks, but have to also mention that they are likely not getting moved – especially their 2025 firsts. The Jazz have said they want to acquire some more 2nd round picks, so that will be a factor into their trade decisions.
Draft Rights and Young Talent: Assets and Untouchables
The Jazz also have the draft rights to two players not in the NBA. They have the draft rights to Italian forward Gabriele Procida, who was a 2nd round pick by the Blazers in 2022, and whom the Jazz are very high on. The Jazz also own the draft rights to Serbian center Balsa Koprivica – a former FSU player, who was a 2nd round pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 2021.
The Jazz are in a rebuild and want to focus on their young players, and for that reason most of their young players will not be on the market and it is very unlikely the Jazz move them. 2024 first round pick Cody Williams has almost no value on the market right now, and the Jazz still do like him, but other teams are not going to give up assets to get him.
The Jazz other 2024 first rounder, Isaiah Collier, has a lot more value around the league, but the Jazz really like him and plan on keeping him for the long term. Likewise, the Jazz really like 2024 2nd round pick Kyle Filipowski and are not looking to move him. There is almost a 0 percent change any of these three are traded at the deadline.
The same cannot be said about 2023 first round picks, and while the Jazz do like all three, they are not untouchable. Well, Taylor Hendricks kind of his because he has a broken leg. Brice Sensabaugh has come on as of late for the Jazz and had some very good games. The Jazz knew Sensabaugh was a project and he is ahead of where they thought he would be, and thus they are not looking to move him.
Keyonte George: A Potential Trade Chip
Keyonte George, however, is not untouchable and depending on the right price could be moved. The Jazz do really like George, but they see Collier as the better point guard, and they do not think George has the size to be a two-guard in the NBA. It is unlikely that the Jazz move George this week, but next off season there is a real possibility they move on from the former 2nd round pick.
Walker Kessler: High Demand, High Price
2022 first rounder Walker Kessler is a player that is getting a lot of attention from teams around the league, and probably has the most trade value of any of the Jazz assets. But, the Jazz do not want to trade him. It is going to have to be a Danny Ainge special type of deal to pry Kessler away from the Jazz. That said, the Los Angeles Lakers may be willing to make that offer. The prevailing rumor is that the Jazz want the Lakers to remove all protection on the pick the Lakers owe the Jazz in 2027, and the Jazz want the Lakers unprotected firsts in 2029 and 2031. The Lakers are considering it.
Besides the Lakers, several other teams are interested in Kessler, notably the New York Knicks. The Knicks, however, lack the assets to acquire Kessler. The Minnesota Timberwolves, whom the Jazz acquired Kessler from in the Rudy Gobert trade, have also emerged as a potential suitor for Kessler. The Wolves and Jazz could get creative in a trade because of how the Wolves owe the Jazz so many picks, but its unlikely the Jazz really want to help the Wolves as it devalues a a first rounder for the Jazz.
The Rest of the Roster: Open for Business
Everyone mentioned above probably has a near zero percent chance at getting traded by Thursday. The rest of the Jazz roster is for sale to the highest bidder, or in some cases any bidder.
John Collins seems to be the big asset the Jazz have right now. Collins is having one of his best seasons this year and has returned to his pre-steroid suspension form. Collins does have a large contract which may be too much for some contenders to swallow, but his “injury” issues this year have mostly been fictions to help the Jazz lose.
The Sacramento Kings have been suitors for Collins since early in the season, but it is unknown how the De’Aaron Fox trade issues are effecting the Kings roster construction post-deadline. Still, the Kings seem like to most reasonable trade partner for the Jazz and Collins. The Los Angeles Clippers are another suitor for Collins. The Clippers and Jazz just made a trade that clears up room for the Clippers to possible make a move for Collins, but the Jazz want a first for him and the Clippers lack those.
Collin Sexton is another name to keep on eye on. The Jazz and Magic have had several discussions about Sexton, and there is a good chance the Jazz move Sexton to the Magic for Anthony Black and a protected first. The Kings, and Spurs have also both been interested in Sexton.
At one time Jordan Clarkson had a lot of trade value, those days are long gone, however, the Jazz could still move Clarkson at the deadline. His $14 million dollar salary is easily moved, and his skill set could help a contender. It is unlikely Clarkson is moved alone, so his salary is most likely going to have to be aggregated with other contracts.
Svi Mykhailiuk oddly enough has some value. He is on a friendly contract, that can be cut down after this year, and could help a lot of contenders. He will not fetch much, but the Jazz could use his contract to bring in a back contract with draft capitol attached.
Like, Mykhailiuk, Johnny Juzang is in a similar situation in that he has a good contract and some value, but unlike Mykhailiuk, Juzang is an elite shooter and younger, so his value is greater than that of Mykhailiuk. But the Jazz also like Juzang and his super team friend contract and an elite skill (Shooting) make him useful for the Jazz to keep.
The Jazz recently acquired PJ Tucker and Mo Bamba, and both are likely never playing for the Jazz. The Jazz will likely buyout Tucker and just flat out waive Bamba. But the Jazz will wait until after the deadline to see if either players contract can be use in a trade.
The Jazz did have a player injury exception and a traded player exception, but those may have been used in the Tucker-Bamba trade, but full details of that trade have not been released yet.
Conclusion: A Busy Deadline Expected
There is almost a 90% chance the Jazz make at least one more trade before the deadline on Thursday. Being below the first luxury tax is useful for Utah as they have a lot more room to maneuver around the NBA salary cap, and other teams will want to use this to offload some bad contracts.
The most likely trade scenarios for the Jazz are them trading their veterans such as Collins, Mykailiuk, Sexton, and Clarkson for bad contracts and draft capitol.
Come Thursday afternoon the Jazz could have a completely new roster, only time will tell.
