Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal

The Jazz aren’t interested in this deal unless they’re trading Donovan Mitchell. Rest assured they’ll be interested in first-round picks at any cost if they are.

In fact, the Jazz just acquired four of them from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for star big man Rudy Gobert. Furthermore, general manager Danny Ainge has a reputation for building through the draft – and he’s already living up to it in Salt Lake City.

All of which makes sense. If the Jazz are starting over, they should pursue first-rounders above all else. They’ll have no use for veterans like Conley and Bogdanovic in 2022-23.

Neither player is likely to get a pair of first-rounders on their own. Conley is 34, and his defense is becoming more concerning every year. Meanwhile, Bogdanovic is on an expiring contract – he may be little more than a rental.

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Still, in packaging them, the Jazz should be able to get a haul. If they’re rebuilding, landing two future firsts from two aging contenders is a great way to start the process.