The Utah Jazz have far outperformed expectations that were placed on them coming into the season. Most people believed they would be among the worst teams in the NBA, but they have flipped the script.
While they have cooled off considerably from their hot start, the Jazz remain in the thick of things in the playoff race in the Western Conference. They are currently holding down the 10th seed with a 26-26 record, a half-game ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final NBA Play-In Tournament spot.
There is certainly a chance that Danny Ainge and Justin Zanik will continue down the rebuilding path. That would likely mean veterans like Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Malik Beasley being involved in more trade rumors. But, they have also been mentioned as possible buyers ahead of the deadline.
One of the players that Utah has reportedly checked in on is Dorian Finney-Smith of the Dallas Mavericks. They are not alone in that pursuit, and the asking price for including him in a deal is astronomically high according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Jazz are expressing strong interest in Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, as teams have gotten the impression that Dallas would be open to moving the 29-year-old in the right deal for a star-caliber player, sources say. The Mavericks have an incredibly high price threshold for teams reaching out about Finney-Smith, rival executives say.
It should come as no surprise that the Mavericks have a very high asking price on Finney-Smith. He is someone that Luka Doncic likes a lot and after losing Jalen Brunson in free agency, the last thing that the front office should want to do is move another player that Doncic is a fan of.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dorian Finney-Smith, Utah Jazz & Dallas Mavericks Updates
The Florida product signed a four-year, $55 million extension during the 2021-22 season, which makes him an even more attractive trade target. That has only been further solidified by his impact during the Mavericks’ Western Conference Finals run.
Finney-Smith is locked into his contract through 2025 with a player option for the 2025-26 season. On an affordable deal and given his two-way skill set, plenty of teams would love to add him to their roster.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dorian Finney-Smith, Utah Jazz & Dallas Mavericks Updates
On the season, Finney-Smith is averaging 8.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals in 32 minutes per game. His shooting numbers have dropped off considerably thus far this season, but he remains a stout, multi-positional defender.
