Last Updated on February 7, 2024 10:45 pm by Mike Passador | Published: January 18, 2023

GM: Josh Url, @2RedJUrl

Salary Cap: $143,320,105

Luxury Tax: $6,946,895

GOAL: They have Indiana syndrome in regard to they’re winning when they’re in a rebuild, so do they decide to sell off pieces or try to compete?

Priorities

• Still probably best for them to sell off veterans but if they can get a premium asset that fits their rebuild, they shouldn’t be opposed either

o Veterans include:

• Mike Conley
• Malik Beasley
• Kelly Olynyk
• Jordan Clarkson
• Rudy Gay

• There are also some veterans that Utah reportedly has interest in such as John Collins & Kyle Kuzma – if price is right, go after one of them

Players to Dangle

Mike Conley (2/$47 w/ partial guarantee in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $22,680,000

o   Can match up to $28,450,000

o   $14,320,000 guaranteed next year if cut

o   Can you trade him to a needy team who needs a point guard?

o   Targets:

• Wizards
• Timberwolves
• Lakers
• Clippers
• Mavericks

Collin Sexton (4/$70.9)

o   Salary: $16,500,000

o   Can salary match up to $21,500,000 if you can stay under the tax

o   Targets:

• Wizards
• Raptors
• Timberwolves
• Clippers
• Mavericks

Malik Beasley (2/$32 w/ TO in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $15,558,035

o   Can match up to $20,558,035 if you can remain out of tax

o   Team option next year so you arent dying to get rid of him but he’s perfect salary filler in another deal

o   Was offered in a 3-teamer for John Collins to Utah deal

o   Targets:

• Suns
• Knicks
• Clippers
• Mavericks

Jordan Clarkson (2/$27.6 w/ PO in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $13,340,000

o   Can salary match up to $18,340,000 if you remain under the tax

o   It seems like Utah is going to extend him, so he’s likely not going to be traded, but I’d at least hear offers on him

o   Targets:

• Pelicans
• Bucks
• Timberwolves
• Lakers
• Clippers
• Mavericks

Kelly Olynyk (2/$25 w/ partial guarantee in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $12,804,878

o   Can match up to $17,804,878

o   His contract will likely be gtd next year, so no urgency to get off of him, but if you get a good offer for him, I’d do it

o   Ainge clearly loves him

Talen Horton-Tucker (2/$21.3 w/ PO in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $10,260,000

o   Can match up to $15,260,000

o   He probably doesn’t have much value on trade market anymore, but if you need to throw him in a deal to make money work, that’s his main purpose in a trade at this point

Rudy Gay (2/$12.6 w/ PO in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $6,184,500

o   Can salary match up to $10,922,875 in a deal for him

o   He’s dead money on the books at this point, so if you can get off of him without giving up an asset, then do it

Jarred Vanderbilt (2/$9 w/ NG in ‘23-’24)

o   Salary: $4,374,000

o   Can salary match up to $7,754,500

o   He shouldn’t be available but other teams want him, so hear out offers for him. If you can get another first round pick, maybe you consider it

Udoka Azubuike (1/$2.2)

o   Salary: $2,174,880

o   He would probably be a salary dump if you needed to clear a roster spot on your team

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Assets Owned

• TPE: $9,774,884
• TPE: $1,517,981
• TPE: $9,614,379
• TPE: $2,740,000
• TPE: $6,745,122
• 2023 1st
• 2023 1st (less favorable of a) BKN and HOU or b) PHI)
• 2023 MIN 1st
• 2024 1st (top 10 protected to OKC)
• 2025 1st (top 10 protected to OKC if 2024 not conveyed)
• 2025 MIN 1st
• 2025 CLE 1st
• 2026 1st (most favorable of own, CLE, or MIN, 9-30 to Thunder if 2023 or 2024 not conveyed)
• 2027 1st
• 2027 MIN 1st
• 2027 CLE 1st
• 2028 1st (swap rights w/ Cleveland)
• 2029 1st
• 2029 MIN 1st (top 5 protected)
• 2029 CLE 1st
• 2025 2nd
• 2026 2nd
• 2026 MEM 2nd (protected 43-60)
• 2029 2nd

 

Mock Trades to Date (Feb 2 Deadline)

 

Timberwolves-Jazz trade

TRADE: Timberwolves trade Naz Reid and the 2023 NYK 2nd to the Utah Jazz for Utah’s 2023 1st (least favorable of HOU/BKN/PHI)

 

With Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns as two of the franchise cornerstones, our Minnesota GM, Logan Alten, felt that it was best to move Reid, who is about to hit unrestricted free agency. He traded Reid with a mid-second round pick for a first round pick, which is very reminiscent of what the San Antonio Spurs did with the Toronto Raptors last year when they traded Thaddeus Young with similar pick compensation for Toronto’s first-round pick last year. Minnesota basically moves up roughly 20 spots in the draft to move off a guy they likely were not going to retain beyond this year. 

For the Jazz, GM Josh Url felt that Reid’s ability to rebound, shoot threes, block shots, and pass will complement their roster well. Reid is also 23 years old and fits the timeline of the rest of the Jazz’s young core. As he explained on the Bird Rights Podcast, it was a “bird in the hand” situation where he preferred the player who can thrive in their system over the unknown of a late first-round pick. 

 

Jazz clear roster spots

TRADE: Jazz trade Udoka Azubuike to the Rockets, Rockets trade Bruno Fernando to the Bulls, and Tony Bradley is traded to the Rockets and subsequently cut to make room for Azubuike

 

This was a very minor move for all three teams, but Utah was required to clear a roster spot for Naz Reid. Procedurally, Houston essentially swaps Fernando for Tony Bradley and then subsequently cuts Bradley. Chicago felt Fernando is an upgrade to Bradley as a third center and he’s a bit cheaper. Houston takes the flier on a former first-round pick in Azubuike in their traded player exception created from the Christian Wood to Dallas trade.

 

Jazz and Pacers swap former lottery picks

TRADE: Pacers trade Chris Duarte to the Jazz for Ochai Agbaji

 

For Utah, this trade was all about being competitive sooner rather than later. Despite being in just his second NBA season, Duarte is already turning 26 years old, and Utah felt his age fit the timeline of their roster well. Utah also felt that Duarte can contribute more than Agbaji can this season and next. Keep in mind, while Agbaji was included in the Donovan Mitchell trade post-NBA draft, Utah did not draft Agbaji. As a result, they flip him for a guy they think can contribute more in the short-term. 

Similar to Utah’s rationale, Indiana’s reasoning is the preference of fit on the roster. Indiana’s GM, Mark Schindler, was looking for a more stout point of attack defender who can hit shots off movement and continue plays without needing to create. Furthermore, Duarte has struggled to fit into the Pacers’ high-paced movement offense this year. For these reasons, Agbaji fits the bill for what Indiana was looking for. 

 

Pelicans get a stretch big

TRADE: Pelicans trade Garrett Temple, Jaxson Hayes, and a 2024 1st round pick (most favorable between MIL and NOP) to the Jazz for Kelly Olynyk

 

For the Pelicans, the Olynyk trade was a no-brainer. Barring something catastrophic, the Pelicans or Bucks 2024 first-rounder won’t be a high pick, and Temple and Hayes were salary fillers that the Pelicans didn’t value very highly. Olynyk also provides the Pelicans with a stretch big to play alongside Zion for stints. Olynyk can be a legitimate contributor for the Pelicans and is under contract beyond this year, so the price of a late 2024 first was an easy choice. The Pelicans have an ample amount of draft capital after the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades, so they were willing to move a pick to push their chips in to try to make a run at a championship, and Olynyk is a piece of that puzzle.

For the Jazz, they wanted to clear playing time for newly-acquired Naz Reid and rookie Walker Kessler. In reality, Olynyk’s value will be in the late-first round pick range, and the Jazz recouped just that after they traded one away to Minnesota for Naz Reid. The Jazz also valued Garrett Temple as a veteran presence in their locker room for the rest of the season and for a potential playoff run. 

 

Jazz add stretch big

TRADE: Raptors trade Chris Boucher and Otto Porter Jr. to the Jazz for Jaxson Hayes and Malik Beasley

 

Toronto traded for Malik Beasley with the intention of trading Gary Trent Jr., as Beasley is a seamless replacement for Trent. Additionally, with Otto Porter Jr. out for the season, it’s a strong possibility that he would opt into next year’s player option. Toronto also wasn’t thrilled with having two more years of Chris Boucher on the books after this season. Collectively, Toronto opened up a ton of flexibility with their trades, and this was an extension of that. 

For Utah, Boucher is a seamless Kelly Olynyk replacement and fits in well with the big man rotation of Naz Reid, Walker Kessler, and Jarred Vanderbilt. Similarly to the acquisition of Garrett Temple in the Olynyk deal, they valued Otto Porter’s veteran leadership and championship pedigree. While Temple is on an expiring deal, Porter can potentially be on next year’s Jazz roster and continue to provide that mentorship while also being a contributor when healthy. 

 

Jazz add shooting

TRADE: Utah Jazz trade Rudy Gay, Talen Horton-Tucker, Collin Sexton, and a 2025 second round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Patty Mills, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, and a 2027 1st (via Sixers top 8 protected)

 

In my mock trade deadline primer, I told the Nets GM to try to trade some of their shooting for athleticism and defense. When I said to trade some of their shooting, I didn’t mean trade all three shooting specialists on the roster together. But that’s the route the Nets went. The Nets viewed Collin Sexton as an elite sixth-man coming off the bench behind Kyrie Irving and D’Angelo Russell (see next trade) and as an insurance because both of those two are about to hit unrestricted free agency. I don’t personally believe that the Nets should’ve given up a 2027 1st-round pick that’s only top-eight protected for a package around Sexton, but clearly Corban, the Nets GM, did. Corban was also high on Talen Horton-Tucker in this deal, but I think THT is most effective with the ball in his hands, which he won’t have between Kyrie, KD, Sexton, and Russell. Rudy Gay is in the deal to make the salaries work and as a veteran presence for the Nets.

For the Jazz, they acquired plenty of shooting with this deal. Sexton has seemed to be very repetitive with what the Jazz have in Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gay is on a negative contract, and Talen Horton-Tucker has shown little flashes since being traded from the Lakers. Excellent job by Utah to acquire a potentially pretty good first-round pick for very little while adding a premiere skill in shooting to their roster. 

 

Hawks acquire shooting

TRADE: The Atlanta Hawks acquire Seth Curry (Utah acquired him from BKN) and CLE 2029 1st (via UTA), Justin Holiday goes to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Vit Krejci, the Kings 2024 1st (lotto protected) and cash considerations go to Utah

 

The issue with Atlanta acquiring Seth Curry is that he’s too small to play alongside Trae Young. However, Atlanta does a pretty good job at staggering Young’s and Dejounte Murray’s minutes, so they would have to play Murray and Curry exclusively together when Young is on the bench. This will also likely allow the Hawks to stagger AJ Griffin when Curry and Murray are on the bench. However, I don’t love this deal for Atlanta. Atlanta gave up a Sacramento 2024 first (lottery protected) which they probably don’t think will be too high, but they swapped it for a 2029 Cleveland unprotected first. Atlanta figured Seth Curry is an upgrade to Justin Holiday, but it will be very hard for him to see consistent minutes as long as Young is healthy. 

For Cleveland, they opened up a traded player exception that was large enough to take on Holiday after they traded Caris LeVert for Josh Richardson, so Holiday gives them an extra wing. Utah, meanwhile, acquires a more immediate pick for a pick that’s out in 2029. While that 2029 Cleveland first is unprotected, the Jazz GM did not worry about trading a pick for a draft class of kids that are currently in middle school. 

 

Rockets take on former first-round pick

TRADE: The Utah Jazz trade Leandro Bolmaro to the Houston Rockets for cash considerations

 

The Jazz had to clear a roster spot so Bolmaro was on the chopping block. Instead of eating his salary and cutting him, they were able to trade him for some cash. For Houston, they had multiple roster spots open as a result of the Kawhi trade, so they were willing to take a flier on a former first-round pick.

 

Heat dodge the luxury tax

Heat trade Gabe Vincent and cash considerations to the Utah Jazz for 2026 UTA 2nd and 2029 UTA 2nd

 

After I praised Miami for the job they did in this exercise, they weren’t quite savvy enough. They were roughly $440,000 under the luxury tax with 12 guys on the roster. If they converted two-way player Orlando Robinson to a standard minimum rookie contract and prorated it from March 1st, he would cost roughly $233,000 plus his tax variance. As a result, the Heat would not be able to get to the NBA’s mandated 14-man minimum roster spots without going into the tax. For this reason, Vincent had to become expendable. Vincent has been a very reliable backup point guard for the shaky Kyle Lowry this past season, but he isn’t worth going into the tax, and eventually the repeater tax for. Additionally, Miami gave up a first and three second-round picks in the deals to acquire Eric Gordon and Jae Crowder, so by recouping two seconds in this deal, they stash assets back in the cupboard. Now, they can sign three guys to minimums whether it be G League guys or a player from the buyout market, but Miami can depend on a committee of Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and even Victor Oladipo to handle their ball-handling duties. 

For Utah, they desperately were searching for the market for a backup point guard to Mike Conley. Jordan Clarkson isn’t a true playmaker, and Utah wanted a legitimate point guard to come off the bench. Utah struck out in negotiations for guys like Payton Pritchard and Andrew Nembhard, so they settled for Vincent. 

 

Jazz clear money and a roster spot

Jazz trade Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Knicks 2023 2nd to the Spurs for cash considerations; Spurs waive Stanley Johnson

 

This is a subsequent move to Utah acquiring Gabe Vincent, as they were already at 15 roster spots. Here, they give the Spurs a second-round pick in order to take on Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s contract. San Antonio does a great job acquiring an asset by utilizing their cap space, and Utah gets off his money. Easy business.