3 Most-Likely Jazz Players to Be Traded Before NBA Deadline
As the NBA trade deadline approaches, it's anybody's guess which path the Utah Jazz will take post-All-Star game. The names of multiple Jazz players have surfaced in the trade rumors, but with parity at an all-time high, it’s difficult to decipher who are the buyers and sellers this year.
NBA insider Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated recently joined KSL Sports Zone and shared his thoughts on where things stand with the Jazz.
“It’s hard to say right now, to be honest," Beck said. “The bottom line is, especially if Danny Ainge is at the top of that flow chart, there’s no similarity. He’s (Ainge) already shipped out the two franchise centerpieces, so anybody who is not glued to the floor is potentially in play. Who’s the most likely… it’s just going to depend on what offers are out there.”
All bets are off when it comes to 'Trader Danny,' but if there are moves to be made, these players are at the top of the list.
Jarred Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt makes the most sense to be moved this year. There have been rumors of outside interest in Vanderbilt since he landed in Salt Lake City via the Rudy Gobert trade.
With the emergence of rookie Walker Kessler, there may not be room for two players that don’t space the floor on the same team. Head coach Will Hardy has been reluctantly putting the pair on the court together, and because Kessler is trending to be a 30-minutes-per-game player, Jazz fans should expect Vanderbilt to be traded if there’s a fair offer on the table.
Malik Beasley
Beasley has performed well in his short stint with the Jazz. Currently, he ranks fourth in the NBA in three-pointers made with 194 while also having a team-friendly contract that runs through 2024.
The dilemma is the Jazz have a log jam of players that bring similar traits to the table. Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Beasley are above-average offensive players, but defensively don’t exactly instill fear in their opponents. Then there’s first-year player Ochai Agbaji, who’s showing promise and may need a clearer path to get more minutes at some point.
Because Utah can garner a quality asset back, expect Beasley’s name to be mentioned in the rumor mill moving forward with a very good chance of being traded.
Jordan Clarkson
The former Sixth Man of the Year is having a career season since being inserted in the starting lineup for the first time since joining the Jazz. Clarkson is averaging 21.2 ppg on an efficient 45.2% from the field while dishing out 4.3 assists.
One could make an argument that Utah should roll out the red carpet for its starting shooting guard with a big payday, but not so fast. The Jazz invested in Collin Sexton this past summer, who can also score at a high clip from the shooting guard position.
Also, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard scoring season highs within a week of each other exposed the liabilities of Utah’s starting backcourt. If we're being honest, Utah needs a starting shooting guard that can impose his will defensively as well as score at a high rate.
If that player ends up being Agbaji, then Clarkson would be reinserted back to his sixth-man role. Does shelling out close to $40 million per year for Sexton and Clarkson makes sense?
It’s a close call when you take a hard look at it, but playing in a contract year paired with the depth Utah has at the shooting guard position makes it no lock that Clarkson will finish the year in a Jazz uniform. From the outside looking in, it appears to be a coin flip.
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