Jazz Trade Up? Rumor Casts Portland's No. 3 Pick in New Light

The uncertainty of the 2023 NBA draft's top-10 looms large as we approach the two-week mark of when the selections will be made. According to Yahoo Sports' NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Utah Jazz are positioned to take a step forward thanks to the draft capital that was acquired last summer.

“Utah has a bounty of future draft ammunition, in addition to the No. 9 choice, where the Jazz can entertain a variety of options to improve a restructured roster if they intend to step closer to the playoffs,” Fischer wrote.

Indeed, it’s that time of the year where Jazz fans will be refreshing their social media feeds in bunches. All eyes will be on Jazz CEO Danny Ainge as he prepares to make his first draft selection employed by the Jazz.

Will Utah stay put, or is a trade on draft day inevitable? Where the dominoes end up falling may be determined by what the Charlotte Hornets or Portland Trail Blazers decide to do with picks No. 2 and 3.

The Hornets have a conundrum with the second pick. Although Alabama standout Brandon Miller is viewed by some as the second-best player in this year's class, the consensus is that point guard Scoot Henderson is the prospect that should be selected after Victor Wembanyama.

If Charlotte isn’t sold on Miller at No. 2, then pairing two ball-dominant point guards in Henderson and LaMelo Ball might not make sense. Trading the No. 2 pick may be the best path to relevance for Charlotte, considering it would require a king's ransom in return.

The thought of Utah trading the No. 9 and 16 picks to move up to the No. 2 slot is delusional. It would take much more than that.

Then what is Portland going to do? Do the Trail Blazers finally part ways with Damian Lillard? The combination of Henderson or Miller, Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and the return in a Lillard exchange may be too good to pass up.

Also, there have been rumblings that the No. 3 selection could be moved to give Lillard one last chance to win a championship for the franchise that drafted him. That said, according to Fischer, the Trail Blazers staying put is still the most likely scenario.

“While the Trail Blazers have signaled an openness to move that No. 3 pick — general manager Joe Cronin told Yahoo Sports in May his team is 'trying to win and trying to maximize Damian [Lillard’s] timeline' — rival teams are skeptical Portland will find a suitable trade partner for that coveted selection before the Blazers come on the clock.”

Time will tell whether the Jazz are content with the hand that’s already been dealt, or will look to part with some of the assets acquired last summer in an attempt to move up.

What we do know is there are moving parts at the front of the line that could affect what happens to Utah directly, or indirectly. Either way, the phones will be plenty busy at Jazz HQ these next two weeks.

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