It didn’t take much explanation why the Utah Jazz were willing to bail out the Lakers by signing Russell Westbrook. Taking a first-round pick from the Lakers while knowing the clock was ticking on LeBron James was a brilliant move, even if it meant giving up players like Mike Conley and others. 2027 will have a great future for the Jazz.
Why bring this up? Because Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has suggested a trade that would allow the Jazz to do it again.
In an August 8 article, Pincus proposed a three-way trade between the Jazz, Lakers and Hornets that would swap the following.
Hornets receive:
-D’Angelo Russell (from the Lakers)
-Jalen Hood-Schifino (from the Lakers)
-Cam Reddish (from the Lakers)
-Christian Wood (from the Lakers)
-Second-best first-round pick in 2025 from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves or Jazz (via Utah)
-$1.1 million trade exception (Richards)
The Lakers get:
-Tre Mann (from the Hornets)
-Nick Richards (from the Hornets)
-$13.8 million trade exception (Russell)
-$3.0 million trade exception (Christian Wood)
Get Jazz:
-Vasilije Micic,
-2031 protected first-round pick (via Lakers)
Pincus first briefly explained what Micic would mean to the Jazz.
“Signing a veteran like Micić could temporarily fill a void in Utah (even if he only has one year of NBA experience). The Serbian point guard nearly helped his country beat Team USA on Thursday in Paris.”
He admitted that Micic had little to do with the Jazz’s reasoning behind the decision, but then explained why they would be willing to part with one of their 2025 assets in such a deal.
“Assuming Utah finishes in the top 10 (otherwise it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder), there will be three first-rounders in 2025. It’s difficult for any team to develop so many young players at once, including recently drafted players like Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh and Isaiah Collier.
“Instead, Utah gives up the middle pick – which shouldn’t be in the lottery given the recent success of the Timberwolves and Cavaliers. In return, the Jazz can speculate a little with the Lakers’ first pick in 2031, long after James and Davis are expected to be in LA.
“It’s a small deal for the Jazz, but an opportunistic one that takes advantage of the current immobility in the Lakers’ roster.”
The Jazz have signed Lauri Markkanen for the foreseeable future, which surprises many, as Markkanen is a player who wants to win now on a team built to win later.
That’s a valid point. While many believe tanking is the way to go, what if the Jazz had a team that tanked for them like the Lakers potentially will in the late 2020s and early 2030s? That’s basically what Danny Ainge did with the Celtics when they traded with the Nets in 2013.
They didn’t have to waste their seasons because the Nets could have still pulled off a golden win, and look where that got them! Ainge has proven that he can draft when given the opportunity to draft high.
Do the Jazz really want to take that risk knowing that the Cavaliers and Timberwolves are determined to do well in the 2024-25 season? The Lakers are one of the most disastrous franchises that know LeBron’s retirement is not far off.
The Jazz have already capitalized on what could have been a miserable future. There’s no reason to pass up the chance to do it again.
Grade A+
If the Jazz are ever given this offer, they should accept it immediately.
