Jazz Can Find Value in Trade Rumors Surrounding Magic G Cole Anthony

While a majority of NBA rosters have ironed out at this point in the offseason, a few pieces remain in motion before the start of the season. The main headlines continue to surround the likes of G Damian Lillard and G James Harden, but other enticing players may be on the move sooner rather than later.

One of those candidates might be Orlando Magic G Cole Anthony. According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the 2020 first-round draft pick could be finding his way to a new team as soon as within the coming weeks:

The Orlando Magic are expected to move Cole Anthony

“The Magic may choose to keep all of their guards, but that seems unlikely, and Anthony may be the most expendable. ‘I think they move Anthony, maybe even before the season. But I don't think they extend him,’ one player agent… pic.twitter.com/ZRy4FVcl0q
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 22, 2023

Anthony finds himself playing under the last year of his rookie contract this season, aspiring for a payday to soon come his way. During his most recent 2022-23 campaign, he averaged 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on shooting splits of 45.4/36.4/89.4.

Considering Anthony is still sitting at 23 years of age, many GMs could be willing to take a swift flyer on him before the start of the season to solidify their guard rotation. He is productive offensively with the ability to continue his growth in a situation outside of Orlando, one that's packed with promising guard prospects.

A team to keep a keen eye on in the process might be the Utah Jazz. Many have questioned how talented the team’s guard play is, along with a concern for a lack of playmaking on the roster. Anthony could easily plug in as a key reserve or even a starter to mend those holes.

We know how much Danny Ainge enjoys making moves on the trade market to capitalize on value, and this could be just another case of that. The package needed to put together a deal for a young guard on an expiring deal might not be too immense, leading to a route for Ainge to execute.

The Jazz stand solidified with many names to potentially handle the starting guard duties, like Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, or even rookie Keyonte George. However, if Utah wanted to get creative with their assets, making a low-risk move for a guy like Anthony might not be the worst to act on.

Still, in the early motions of a deal happening, fans await more developments of any notable suitors. Until then, pinning Utah as a landing spot could be a welcome sight for Jazz fans.

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.

Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream.