The NBA is a market like any other. Characterizing players as assets feels wrong, yet, to an extent, that’s what they are. Call them human resources. On the other hand, draft capital is pure currency. At the moment, some teams are controlling the market.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are in pole position. Still, the Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets both have impressive collections of future first-round picks in their own right. Each of these teams has the flexibility to make any number of decisions.
Should either be in win-now mode? That’s a different question. The Nets may have a deep collection of first-round picks, but they owe their own selections to the Houston Rockets for the foreseeable future. The Jazz mostly own their own picks (with some protections), but this small market team could opt to stay competitive anyway. Could acquiring Spencer Dinwiddie from the Nets help them stay competitive?
The Trade Proposal
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F/C Kelly Olynyk, G/F Talen Horton-Tucker
Utah Jazz Receive: G Spencer Dinwiddie
In fact, there are a lot of parallels between these two teams. It wasn’t long ago that each had championship aspirations. Both of these teams were firmly in win-now mode just a season ago.
The Nets had one of the most talented rosters in NBA history. Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. it’s hard to name a trio with more pure talent in the league’s history. The Jazz weren’t quite as stacked, but they were a dominant regular-season outfit behind Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Both of these teams had title aspirations.
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Seemingly, chemistry killed both of their chances. Each team fell apart, and interpersonal issues seemed to be at play in each case. Now, each team has received a cache of first-round picks in exchange for their stars. Should the Jazz tank, or make a move to improve their roster?
Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal
Frankly, we’re not sure. The Jazz could go either way. With that said, we’ve heard rumblings that they’re looking to improve their backcourt. To us, that indicates that they plan on staying in win-now mode.
If so, Dinwiddie would be a strong upgrade. He can create his own shot, and make plays for his teammates at times as well. He’s not among the very most talented guards in the NBA. On the other hand, he’s one of the very best guards the Jazz could receive without giving up one of their many first-round picks.
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Meanwhile, the Jazz can spare Olynyk. They just acquired John Collins. He’s functionally similar to Olynyk as a floor-spacing combo big. All told, the addition of Dinwiddie should make the Jazz a better team next year. Does adding Olynyk make the Nets a better squad?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
That’s a little more debatable. Some Nets fans will say that they can’t spare Dinwiddie. To be sure, this deal leaves the Nets without a starting-caliber point guard.
On the other hand, the Nets don’t have a reliable floor-spacing big man as currently constructed. So, this is a trade-off for Brooklyn. Some might argue that it’s a lateral move. Sure. On the other hand, the Nets are also landing Talen Horton-Tucker here.
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Is he a future star? It’s looking increasingly unlikely. Still, Horton-Tucker’s unique wingspan makes him an interesting young player. He’s flashed some capacity to run point as well. If he breaks out on the Nets, they could win this deal by a landslide. If he doesn’t, hey – at least they’ve still got their draft capital.
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