Jazz Tectonic Three-Team Trade: Biggest Winners & Losers

With the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, the Utah Jazz finally made their move. The Russell Westbrook rumors finally came to fruition, which led to the departure of Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

It will take years before we know which teams came out on top, but in the short term, there'll be winners and losers when the dust settles. Let’s break it down.

Winners: Collin Sexton & Ochai Agbaji

The Jazz players that will see the biggest spike in playing time are Sexton and Agbaji. The pair will get a shot to cement their place in next year's starting lineup, but they’ll have to earn it. Sexton will have to prove that he’s more than just a scorer, while Agbaji needs to show the Jazz brain trust what made him a 2022 lottery pick.

With all the draft capital and cap space the Jazz have acquired, there will be competition to deal with next season, but for now, it’s their spot to lose.

Loser: Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers continue to mortgage their future to appease LeBron James. Acquiring Vanderbilt, Beasley, and DeAngelo Russell while subtracting Westbrook doesn’t move the needle enough to put L.A. in contention for a title.

If we’re being honest, the Lakers aren't even a lock to make the playoffs. The future doesn’t bode well for the Lakers in the post-LeBron era when the toll of sacrificing their first-round picks to Utah and the New Orleans Pelicans starts to take its toll.

Winner: Russell Westbrook

The most likely candidate to get a championship in this deal is Westbrook. With the likelihood of being bought out by Utah, the former MVP should have a handful of willing contenders wanting to claim his services.

Westbrook has reinvented himself as one of the best coming off the bench, and it’s plausible he’ll be making a deep postseason run in a quest to acquire his first ring.

Winner: Mike Conley

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a disappointment this year, with injuries and chemistry issues derailing their season up to this point. But a combination of acquiring Conley and getting healthy at the right time could put the now ex-Jazzman in position to make some noise in the postseason.

Jazz fans could have a team to root for, with Rudy Gobert and Conley suiting up for a franchise with 2023 championship aspersions.

Loser: Anti-Tank Jazz Fans

Any thoughts that Utah will be playing in the postseason can be put to bed. The Jazz still have a formidable starting five, but losing three contributors paired with a Westbrook buyout destroys their depth.

Moving forward, it’s about developing youth and stacking losses for draft position. It was fun while it lasted, but it was a bad day for Jazz fans that wanted a playoff berth.

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