The Recent Trade That Still Haunts the Jazz

This is the one that the Utah Jazz let get away..

Apr 28, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

As we approach the two-year mark of the Utah Jazz rebuild, most Jazz fans have come to grips with sacrificing Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert to rebuild for the future. Utah's compensation for the All-Stars was more than adequate, and most can agree that the Jazz made the right move given their predicament.

The trade that has gone somewhat under the radar that the Jazz may have already regretted is the exchange involving Nickeil Alexander-Walker. In a three-way trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, the Jazz traded Alexander-Walker, Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and two second-round picks and, in return, received a top-four protected Laker's first-rounder in 2027.

Moving a veteran like Conley was the right move. Also, trading two second-rounders doesn’t move the needle much. However, letting Alexander-Walker go could be Utah's biggest mistake since starting its rebuild.

Alexander-Walker is proving to be a valuable piece for a team with championship aspirations. He averaged 31 minutes a game in the four-game sweep versus the Phoenix Suns and provided the defensive resistance that’s needed to come out on top in playoff basketball.

‘Naw’ was in and out of the lineup during the 2023-24 season with the Jazz. His season high was a 27-point performance versus the Denver Nuggets. He also boasted a 115.6 defensive rating, ranking him higher than any of his backcourt teammates. Despite showing promise, the Jazz didn't see enough to keep him in their long term plans.

Flying under the radar as a player has always been in the cards for NAW. However, that may be a thing of the past with the exposure he’s getting on the national stage. Recently, the people at theSporting News have taken note of this. NBA sports writer Stephen Naw believes he may even be better than All-NBA defensive candidate Jaden McDaniels and is the "biggest X factor" in Minnesota's title hopes.

“When it comes to Minnesota's top-rated defense, Rudy Gobert gets most of the praise,” Nah wrote. “He's back to top form, though, in large part because of the team's elite perimeter defenders. Jaden McDaniels is getting well-deserved All-Defensive buzz. People know that Edwards tries to shut guys down one-on-one at the end of games. But Alexander-Walker is the silent assassin who might be better than both of them.”

Utah’s loss is Minnesota’s gain. Alexander-Walker may not of gotten. a fair shake in Salt Lake City. He had 19 DNPs in the 2023-24 season before he was moved at the trade deadline and mostly got his opportunities when players in front of him on the depth chart were hurt. 

Taking a look at Utah’s current backcourt needs, it’s a shame that Utah let him go. Keynonte George and Collin Sexton are as bad as it gets when it comes to defensive rating. On a team that was last in the league in that category, the pair proved to be the worst backcourt in the league, with a 124 and 123.2 defensive rating, respectively.

Utah’s backcourt presently lacks balance, and it’s hard to imagine Sexton and George both remaining starters together. Bringing one of them off the bench and inserting a defensive-minded guard to start the game makes more sense. With what Alexander-Walker has shown, he can do exactly what Utah needs. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed, and Utah will need to upgrade the backcourt via free agent, draft or trade. 

Utah didn’t get much for parting ways with NAW. The protected 2027 first-round pick that was received has the potential to drop all the way to a second-round pick if the Lakers end up in the bottom four. The way the Lakers are trending, it is very possible they could be in a rebuild that year. Also, keep in mind it wasn’t just NAW that was given up for the pick. As noted earlier, Utah sacrificed much more.

Hindsight is 20-20, but Utah dropped the ball on this one. The Timberwolves were able to find value in a player that Utah could not. This will all be a moot point if Utah strikes gold in the first rounder they received, but for now, this trade appears to be a one-sided affair.

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