Report: Jazz Willing to Trade 'Some Players' on Expiring Contracts
On Wednesday, the rumor mill heated up regarding the Utah Jazz on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Podcast. Windhorst pointed out that Utah is open to a sell-off with the trade deadline next month, specifically with the players that have expiring contracts.
“I do think the Jazz have indicated to some folks that they’ll be willing to sell off some players that are under contract, especially the ones at the end of their contract,” Windhorst said.
The currently rostered Jazz players who will be unrestricted free agents this summer include Kelly Olynyk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kris Dunn, and Simone Fontecchio. Windhorst didn’t mention Horton-Tucker, Dunn, or Fontecchio, but he did elude to the possibility of Olynyk being a potential target by the Golden State Warriors, who will be looking for an upgrade.
However, ESPN insider Marc Spears cut him off, stating that Olynyk may not move the needle enough to complete a trade deadline deal.
“They [Warriors] need something bigger, Brian,” Spears said.
If a buyer is going to sacrifice some of its future, then any of Utah’s players on expiring contracts aren’t getting it done by themselves. Assuming All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen is off-limits, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton would need to be involved.
With Utah’s recent success, it’s unclear whether Clarkson and Sexton will be available, but anything is possible with Jazz CEO Danny Ainge steering the ship. The emergence of Sexton as the starting shooting guard has certainly changed the outlook of Utah's future backcourt.
Not too long ago, it felt like Clarkson and Sexton couldn’t co-exist on the same team, but that’s changed since the pair's roles have been redefined. Clarkson is thriving as the sixth man, while Sexton has a firm grip on the starting shooting guard spot.
Also, keep in mind that Utah could trade Olynyk for next to nothing in order to clear a path for first-round pick Taylor Hendricks. The ninth overall pick of last year's draft has shown promise in limited minutes this season but is currently buried at the end of the depth chart.
Utah is tied for the 10th seed, and winning nine of its last 12 games has created more questions than answers moving forward. Are the Jazz selling, buying, or staying put?
The trade deadline is February 8.
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