How This Trade Impacts Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are a team that people have expected to retool their roster the last few years. They have suffered some tough defeats in the postseason and the roster felt like it needed to be shaken up. This offseason, with Danny Ainge now at the helm, they have dove headfirst into making those changes.
Ainge has gone into a full-on rebuild and teardown. While the team said they would rebuild around Donovan Mitchell, the packages that they received from trades done earlier in the offseason indicated that a rebuild was on the horizon.
This deal with the Los Angeles Lakers would further cement that.
The Jazz are moving on from three good rotation players in Mike Conley Jr., Bojan Bogdanovic and Malik Beasley. That trio alone is worth some assets, but when you combine it with the fact that Utah is taking on Russell Westbrook, the price goes up even more.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook Could Be Out Of NBA After Los Angeles Lakers?
Utah comes away feeling good about this deal. They don’t have a real use for Westbrook, who they will likely work on a buyout with almost right away. Bottoming out is the goal and even with diminished production, Westbrook would likely help the team win some games.
Talen Horton-Tucker would be able to develop his game and work through some of the growing pains that every young player has. It was something he was not afforded the chance to do in Los Angeles as they were trying to win as many games as possible.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Russell Westbrook Could Be Out Of NBA After Los Angeles Lakers?
The Jazz are also receiving two premium draft picks from the Lakers with an unprotected 2027 first-round pick and a top-five protected 2029 first-round pick. That would make seven first-round picks acquired this season, giving the franchise a strong base to begin their rebuild with.
