Wild Jazz Trade Idea Sends Markkanen to Suns, Durant to Rockets

Every passing offseason in the modern NBA usually tends to have its fair share of blockbuster deals and big-time moves around the league, and this coming summer should be no different.

And perhaps this time around, the Utah Jazz could get involved with a major deal of their own.

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus proposed a wild three-team deal for the Jazz to consider, linking with the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns to make some significant shifts –– effectively sending Lauri Markkanen to the Suns, Kevin Durant to the Rockets, and giving Utah a collection of young players.

Here's the full trade idea:

Utah Jazz receive: Reed Sheppard (from HOU), Jabari Smith (from HOU), Cam Whitmore (from HOU), Aaron Holiday (from HOU), Jeff Green (from HOU), Jae'Sean Tate (from HOU), higher 2025 first-rounder from Timberwolves/Suns, $20.4 million trade exception

Houston Rockets receive: Kevin Durant (from PHX)

Phoenix Suns receive: Lauri Markkanen (from UTA), Jock Landale (from HOU), lower 2025 first-rounder from the Timberwolves/Suns

Certainly, it's a lot of moving parts to unpack, but it could be a deal both sides end up entertaining. Durant has been extensively rumored on the trade market in recent weeks as a potential mover in the offseason, and it could lead to the Jazz getting involved as a facilitator in whatever deal may come to form.

In this move, they get involved in a major way, shipping off a franchise cornerstone in Markkanen for multiple future assets. The Jazz move off his contract, add some extra youth, and may take a few steps back in the process, but may be within the team's best interest for their future endeavors.

Pincus dove into the Jazz's rationale for making the deal, ultimately dubbing them the winners of the bold three-team move.

"Cashing out on his massive contract—one many teams won’t touch based on its magnitude—into high-level prospects like Sheppard, Whitmore and Smith seems like an obvious win. The Jazz also get a $20.4 million trade exception and the Suns’ first-rounder via Houston... Ultimately, the Jazz are the winner here. The Suns may succeed with Markkanen, but their depth issues and sky-high payroll remain. Houston may have a more credible chance to compete immediately in the postseason by giving up on young talent. But the Jazz get out of one of the league’s larger contracts to give their youth movement an immediate boost."

Any trade involving Markkanen getting shipped off is a tough pill to swallow, but there may be reasonable intrigue in each of the three Rockets prospects Utah would be receiving in return for a deal like this. Two are former top-three picks of the past four years, while Whitmore was viewed as a popular fit with the Jazz during his pre-draft process in 2023.

Would the Jazz be daring enough to ship off Markkanen, one of their most highly prized assets, in a deal like this? It's hard to say, but with an unpredictable executive like Danny Ainge at the helm clearly willing to take big swings during his tenure in the league, it's hard to count out the concept entirely.

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