Trade Targets: Do the Jazz Have Another Deal Coming?

Would Otto Porter Jr. take the Jazz to the next level? (Ned Dishman via wizards.com)

When the Utah Jazz traded for Kyle Korver back on November 28, it not only signaled a commitment to winning from the organization, but helped to address on of the most glaring weaknesses on the team: shooting. Since Korver joined the Jazz, his ability to shoot the ball has become infectious. The Jazz averaged 31.5 3-point attempts per game and 31.9 percent accuracy on those attempts before the trade. Since then, they are attempting nearly 34 threes per game, and connecting on a whopping 36.7 percent.

Kyle Korver passed Jason Terry to become fourth all-time in 3-pointers last night.

Incredible career continues ✊ pic.twitter.com/zMq3m07arK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 13, 2019

Since that trade for Korver, the Jazz have gone 15-9 overall, have won seven of their last eight, and eight of their last 11. It’s possible that no changes are necessary for the Jazz to have a dominant second half of the season, but just for kicks and giggles, let’s explore a few potential trade scenarios that could really push the team to new heights over the final stretch of the season. 

Looking at this roster as currently constructed, there are two primary weaknesses: shooting, and a scorer off the bench. The shooting was greatly helped by Korver, but another capable 3-and-D type player off the bench would help. As far as scoring goes, Donovan Mitchell has been fantastic since the new year, but he could really use some help. When Mitchell does not have it going, the Jazz have been known to go through stretches of simply not being able to put the ball in the basket. Adding just one more capable scorer would really help to alleviate those scoring droughts.

With the trade deadline looming on the horizon (February 7), here are three potential trades that the Jazz could consider. 

Tim Hardaway Jr. 

The Bleacher Report already suggested this this trade in a recent article. Because of his contract, Hardaway’s name will automatically make some fans cringe. During the 2017 offseason, the New York Knicks signed Hardaway to  a 4-year, $71 million deal, which means he is going to be paid roughly $18 million annually through the 2020-21 season. 

It seems as though Hardaway is in a lose-lose situation, because unless he is scoring 25 points a game and leading the Knicks to the playoffs, people are going to view his contract as a massive overpay. In reality, his contract has not been too bad based on his production. In his first two seasons back with the Knicks¹, he has averaged 18.4 points per game, and this season, he is scoring 20 points per game, and adding 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists².

The problem would be justifying the price tag for a potentially reduced role on the Jazz. Hardaway plays 33 minutes a game for the Knicks, but on the Jazz, he would likely be asked to come off the bench, and those minutes would drop to the mid-20s. But it could be worth it, and his final year as an Atlanta Hawk is evidence of why it could work.

Playing for the Hawks in 2016-17, Hardaway was the leading sixth man for a team that went 43-39 and made an appearance in the NBA Playoffs. During that season, he came off the bench for 27 minutes a game and averaged 14.5 points while shooting 35 percent from three. That sounds like exactly what the Jazz are needing. He is a player who can create shots on his own, and would greatly lighten the load for Donovan Mitchell to score.

What would it take? In order to make any trade, the Jazz will have to worry about matching the incoming players salary. Hardaway is currently slated to make $17.3 million. In order for the Jazz to match that type of money, you are likely going to have to part with either Derrick Favors or Ricky Rubio. If I were the GM, I would lean towards parting ways with Rubio. He has had a very up and down tenure in his time with the Jazz, and both Mitchell and Dante Exum are clearly capable of running the point. In return, you would get another offensive weapon who can carry the offensive load at times.

T.J. Warren

Due to the struggling state of the Phoenix Suns franchise and the fact that there are more prominent names like Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton on board, T.J. Warren doesn’t get a lot of attention. But he is quietly having the best season of his career.

Warren’s scoring numbers (18.5 ppg) are actually slightly down from last year (19.6 ppg), which could lead some to assume that he has taken a step back. On the contrary, his efficiency has been better by leaps and bounds. One of the main knocks on Warren coming into the league was that he was not a modern day scorer. He operated primarily in the mid-range, and rarely scored at the basket or from 3-point range.

This year has been completely different. 

Prior to this season, Warren has had career averages of shooting 28.3 percent from three, with an effective field goal percentage of 51.6 percent. He also only attempted 1.3 threes, and got to the free throw line 2.3 times per game. This season, he is shooting 43 percent from three, get’s to the line 3 times a game, and has an effective field goal percentage of 55.4 percent.

Warren is also bigger than some may realize. He has traditionally played small forward, but standing 6 feet 8 inches, he has played 99 percent of his minutes at the power forward position for the Suns this season. That versatility would allow the Jazz to bring on another big wing, without disrupting the rotation too much. 

The Jazz could definitely use a versatile, scoring wing, who even has the size to play the stretch four. 

What would it take? There have already been reports of the Suns looking to move Warren at the deadline, and the Jazz would only need to match his $11 million/per year salary. Prior to the start of last season, The Suns signed Warren to a 4-year, $50 million extension, so he is in the first season of that deal. Based on his performance over the last two seasons,  that is a fantastic contract for an up-and-coming player who is still just 25 years old. The would likely have to part ways with Thabo Sefolosha, and then potentially Grayson Allen to sweeten the pot.

Otto Porter Jr

I have always had a soft spot for Otto Porter Jr. And so, it seems, have the Jazz. When former Jazz star Gordon Hayward opted to leave Utah for Boston in the summer of 2017, the Jazz reportedly turned their attention Porter. Of course, by the time Hayward’s decision was confirmed later that day, Porter had committed elsewhere. Not that it would have mattered: the Wizards quickly matched the 4-year max offer sheet that the Brooklyn Nets had presented to him that July 4.

That said, times have changed for the Wizards. When they maxed out Porter, they had hopes of being a championship contender in the east. Things started to unravel last season. They stumbled into the playoffs, and were bounced in round one. This season, things have officially fallen apart. They have three players on max contracts, including John Wall’s absurd 4-year, $170 million contract, which will pay him $46.87 million in the final year of the contract.

Even with that type of payroll, the Wizards are currently 11th in the east, with a record of just 18-26.

With the direction the franchise has been going, there have been rumblings of initiating a rebuild, or at the very least, looking into trades to shake things up. Trading Wall would be complicated because of his contract, and Bradley Beal is viewed as the best player on the team at just 25. That leaves Porter, and while they won’t just trade him for peanuts, they could part ways if the deal is right.

This may be the perfect time to target Porter as well, who has been have a down year compared to seasons past. Last season, Porter had a career year, averaging 14.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and shot 44 percent from three. So far this season, those numbers have dropped to 12.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and shooting 39 percent from three.

Not bad overall, but for the $26 million a year he is being paid, it’s not good enough. Perhaps all he needs is a change of scenery to get things going again.

Porter has never played for a coach and system like Quin Snyder though. Snyder has routinely been able to get the most out of his players, and I can only imagine what he would be able get out of a player with Porter’s skill set. He is also an extremely strong defensive players, which means we would not have to sacrifice another offensive asset at the expense of our defense.

What would it take? Obviously, the price tag is high. As mention before, Porter is only in the second year of his max contract, which means he is slated to make $26 million this season, and then $27 and $28 in the subsequent years. The Jazz would likely need to part ways with the expiring contracts of Derrick Favors ($16 million), Thabo Sefolosha ($5.2 million), and then let Washington pick pieces from among Raul Neto, Grayson Allen, Tony Bradley, Georges Niang, and Royce O’Neale to fill up the remaining salary. From there, they would probably need to add a future pick as well. The price tag would be high, but the risk may be worth the reward.