The Utah Jazz is stuck in a rut. They are tied for the third-longest losing streak in the NBA, along with the Brooklyn Nets, at five games. Only the Sacramento Kings at seven and Washington Wizards at six have longer ones right now.
For the Jazz, injuries have piled up and are the biggest contributing factor. Their All-Star duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are both sidelined. Mitchell has missed seven consecutive games because of a concussion, while Gobert is dealing with a calf issue that has cost him four games and counting.
To make matters worse, they have also lost a key member of their second unit in Joe Ingles. Ingles’ knee buckled on a drive to the basket on Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and it ended up being a severe injury.
He tore his ACL, which will keep him sidelined into the 2022-23 season. It is a brutal break for Ingles, who will be entering free agency this offseason. Going into it with an injury could dash any hopes he had at landing one more lucrative long-term deal.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joe Ingles Tears ACL; Change Utah Jazz Trade Plans?
His injury will also complicate things when it comes to making a trade. Utah was attempting to package him along with a first-round pick to upgrade their starting unit. Unless there are teams out there who want Ingles just because he has an expiring contract, it will be difficult to move him. But, that won’t stop the Jazz from trying to make a deal.
Utah has been connected to wings and forwards that can help turn around the defense in the starting five. According to Bleacher Report, one player that has emerged as a primary target for the team is Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings.
Harrison Barnes had been mentioned as a primary target for Utah. But Joe Ingles’ unfortunate ACL injury has now further limited the Utah Jazz’s flexibility for defensive improvements on the wing. With Ingles out for the remainder of the season, he can solely function as an expiring contract.
It is unlikely that the Kings, who are desperate to snap a 15-year playoff drought, would be willing to take back a player who won’t suit up the remainder of the season. But, if they accept the harsh reality that this isn’t a playoff team, they could be open to the deal because of the draft compensation they will be getting along with Ingles.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joe Ingles Tears ACL; Change Utah Jazz Trade Plans?
Sacramento is currently 3.5 games out of 10th place in the Western Conference, the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. They will need to go on quite a run to land that spot, and the only run they have shown they are capable of sustaining this season is a losing streak.
Harrison Barnes would be a perfect fit in Utah as he is a versatile, two-way forward. He can play some small-ball center, something the Jazz have struggled against in years past. Barnes also has experience as a high-end role player from earlier in his career with the Golden State Warriors when he was the starting small forward on their NBA Championship team.
