Report: Jazz Trade Royce O'Neale to Nets in Exchange for 2023 First-Round Pick
On Thursday, the Utah Jazz traded Royce O'Nealee to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick. The trade was first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania.
"Utah is trading Royce O'Neale to Brooklyn for a first-round pick, sources tell the Athletic," Charania tweeted Thursday.
The Nets own three first-round picks in the 2023 NBA draft and the pick exchanged will be the lesser of the three. Most likely it will be an original Philadelphia 76ers draft pick that the Nets acquired.
ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst sent Jazz Twitter into a frenzy with his take on the trade. Windhorst seems to think that the trade might be a sign that the Jazz are headed toward a full-blown rebuild.
I'm not buying that the Jazz are going into tank mode for the 2023 season. Utah lacks draft capital to help facilitate future trades, and this gives the team more ammunition to get something done. Trading both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert is highly unlikely.
We know changes are coming, but dealing away both All-Stars would be more than a little drastic. Gobert is still the odds-on favorite to get moved, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility of both players suiting up for the Jazz this season.
Executive Danny Ainge won't trade either at a discount. Jazz Nation will be on pins and needles as it all unfolds.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
