Ex-NBA Exec: Jazz a 'Team to Watch' Amid Luka Doncic Trade Rumors
The word on the street is that Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic could be planning to force his way out of town. Rumor has it that Doncic is disgruntled over the Mavericks' questionable roster moves that saw the team plummet in a year's time from a Western Conference Finals appearance to missing the playoffs.
The Utah Jazz have been linked to Doncic in the rumor mill as one of the prime landing spots if he does manage to force a trade. And now, according to an anonymous former NBA executive who spoke with Jake Rodgers of the NBA Analysis Network, the Jazz are a "team to watch" in the potential Doncic sweepstakes.
According to a former NBA executive that spoke with NBA Analysis Network, teams around the league are already planning a blockbuster trade pursuit of Doncic, and the Jazz are a team to watch.
“There is no telling what the future holds for the Mavs and Luka [Doncic], but teams are swirling like sharks in the water. The Jazz, in particular, plan to pursue Luka if and when he becomes available.”
Doncic, 24, is coming off a phenomenal season, despite it not leading to team success. He joined Michael Jordan as the only player in NBA history to average 32 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds per game.
Indeed, the Jazz would have to be ready to relinquish their draft future if landing the Slovenia-born Doncic became a plausible opportunity. After Jazz CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik went through all the trouble of dealing away a superstar like Donovan Mitchell and a defensive maven like Rudy Gobert, some might scoff at the notion of the brain trust parlaying much of what was obtained to acquire a single player, even one as superb as Doncic.
Let's be honest, though: the only reason the Jazz are being linked to a potential Doncic trade is because of the relative war chest of draft capital Ainge has stockpiled after last offseason's trades. The amount of draft capital it would take to pry Doncic off of Dallas' hands would choke an elephant, but if there's a team that could oblige, it's Utah.
Former Jazz executive Dennis Lindsey recently joined the Mavs' front office, so, ostensibly, the lines of communication could be opened quickly if Doncic were to flex his power. Right now, though, it's all conjecture and rumor.
We don't know absolutely that Doncic wants out of Dallas. It's a given that he's disappointed by his team's failure to make hay in 2022-23, but that doesn't mean he's truly disgruntled and aiming to force his way out of town.
Then again, it's the NBA. Anything could happen. For now, though, Jazz Nation would be wise to assume a 'believe it when we see it' posture on the Doncic-to-Utah trade rumors.
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