Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal

The Utah Jazz have already started down this path. They traded Rudy Gobert for, among other assets, four first-round picks.

Yes, they got some quality players in return. Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley are both young enough to be part of a rebuild, while Walker Kessler is a rookie. Patrick Beverley should have some trade value.

Still, nobody could argue that the Gobert deal makes them a better team in 2022-23. It quite clearly makes them a weakened one. With this trade, the Jazz lean all the way into the direction they’ve already chosen.

Bottoming out ahead of the 2023 draft is also a rational decision. It’s projected to be a loaded class. Victor Wembenyama is the headliner, but guys like Scoot Henderson, Amen & Ausar Thompson, and Dariq Whitehead could be game-changing prospects as well.

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A team in the Jazz’s position may not be able to resist the opportunity to land one.