The Utah Jazz have experienced a real unravelling as of late as they have lost 11 of their last 14 outings. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert remain sidelined and as the NBA trade deadline nears, there is a void left behind by Joe Ingles’ season-ending injury on the wing that needs to be addressed with a change to the roster.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Jazz have ‘dangled’ using Joe Ingles and a first-round pick in trade talks in order to make an upgrade on the wing—dating back to around the time leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft. Now, the team has Ingles’ expiring contract to use as a salary-matching mechanism.
The torn ACL injury to Joe Ingles is a tough blow to the Utah Jazz in several ways. Utah has dangled Ingles and a first-round pick on the trade market in an effort to improve on the wing. That’s going back to the draft. Now, Ingles is out, and Utah essentially is in the same boat as Cleveland when it comes to having an expiring contract to move on the market with their first-round pick, but the player isn’t going to play.
The Jazz do have the option of using a trade exception to add a contributor on the wing. However, it would add onto the already lofty salary obligations the organization holds—increasing potential luxury tax payments. Using Ingles’ $12.4 million salary would to prevent that outcome.
It already has been a need for the Jazz to bolster their on-ball defensive capabilities to take pressure off Rudy Gobert. An inability to contain dribble penetration proved to be quite costly in last year’s NBA playoffs with the LA Clippers taking full advantage. It has only since worsened.
LATESt NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joe Ingles Tears ACL; Change Utah Jazz Trade Plans?
Among the potential names the Jazz have discussed includes Harrison Barnes, Robert Covington, Josh Richardson, and Josh Okogie. Getting any help on the wing is a plus with Ingles sidelined. However, none can replace the playmaking that Ingles provides while none being all that fantastic of on-ball defenders.
Utah has discussed several wing options, including Harrison Barnes, Robert Covington, Josh Richardson, Josh Okogie, sources say. They’ve certainly done due diligence, and the mold of finding a defensive wing certainly appears to fit with all those names. There’s a commonality there.
When it’s the middle of the regular season, there are limitations to what can be viewed as potential options. Especially for a team that is lacking for intriguing trade assets to put in an offer to entice a team to part with a legitimately impactful wing on a favorable contract that checks all the necessary boxes.
LATESt NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joe Ingles Tears ACL; Change Utah Jazz Trade Plans?
If adding a shooting threat with some shot creation ability is what the Jazz seek, then Harrison Barnes makes a lot of sense. However, he isn’t much for a defensive threat. Meanwhile, Robert Covington has a chronically limited offensive game and is best off-ball on defense. Both will be sought after names on the trade market.
Josh Richardson is hitting three-pointers this season, but he’s got a real feast or famine element to his game at times, too. He ended up being essentially taken out of a meaningful role by the Dallas Mavericks in their playoff series against the LA Clippers due to his inconsistent shooting. Josh Okogie isn’t a player that’s going to move the needle for any team, either.
LATESt NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joe Ingles Tears ACL; Change Utah Jazz Trade Plans?
There has been mention of a name like Jerami Grant being on the Utah Jazz’s wish-list ahead of the NBA trade deadline, but again, the limitations in trade assets makes pursuing such an option challenging.
