Utah Jazz
Last season, we saw only a glimpse of how good the Utah Jazz could be. Stingy defensively, potent offensively, and coached impeccably, the Jazz have the formula for a contending team. Donovan Mitchell broke out last season, proving that he can lead a team on offense.
Averaging upwards of 20 points per game, Mitchell put his name in the conversation as a truly dominant offensive force. On the other side of the ball, Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert is as good as it gets on the defensive side of the ball. Second in the NBA in defensive box plus-minus (4.6), he patrols the paint and anchors Utah’s tight defensive ship.
The rest of the roster is buoyed by a bevy of solid contributors. Joe Ingles is a great shooter, scorer, and sneaky good facilitator. Ricky Rubio has emerged as a serviceable floor spacer to add to his excellent passing and defense and Derrick Favors is a solid interior presence. Those five alone make up an excellent starting unit but is missing the second star. Enter Jimmy Butler:
Proposed trade package:
Utah Jazz receive: Jimmy Butler
Timberwolves receive: Dante Exum, Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder
I see all of these assets as expendable for Utah, yet all could hold considerable value for Minnesota. Dante Exum’s career, marred by injury, has been a disappointment. Maybe the 2014 fifth overall pick just needs a change of scenery to unleash some of his potential. A long, freaky athlete, Exum has the tools to be a defensive stalwart.
Grayson Allen, Utah’s 2018 first round draft selection, provides a scoring presence along with another capable playmaker on the roster. Crowder’s inclusion in the package is primarily to make the salaries match but he has some potential value as a two-way wing off of the bench.
A five-man rotation of Rubio, Mitchell, Butler, Favors, and Gobert is easily a top-three seed in the gauntlet that is the Western Conference. Add in Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale, Alec Burks, and Ekpe Udoh off of the bench and you have a versatile, deep roster with ample star power. Convincing Butler to commit long term would give Utah a real chance at making the finals within the next five or so seasons.
Next Up: Team 3
