Insider names three players Jazz may be willing to trade
The Utah Jazz have failed to build on their impressive 2022-23 season, currently sitting 12th in the Western Conference with a 9-16 record. As a rebuilding roster, some form of regression was inevitable despite the coaching ability of Will Hardy. Now, it appears the Jazz are ready to part ways with some of their veteran talent, assuming they can get fair value in return.
In a recent edition of his "Stein Line" newsletter, longtime NBA writer Marc Stein shared some intel on three players the Jazz may be willing to part ways with.
"Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton and Kelly Olynyk, for starters, are frequently mentioned by rival executives as players Utah is believed to be willing to trade," Stein wrote. "...Olynyk, meanwhile, is in on course to become a free agent in July as he plays out the final season of a three-year, $37 million deal and is regarded in some league circles as the most likely of the Utah vets to move on at some point during the next six-plus weeks."
All three players listed by Stein will likely have positive trade value. Clarkson is seen as one of the best volume scorers in the league and could be a significant boost to most teams' benches. Sexton is still young and will likely entice bidders with his potential. Olynyk is an experienced and reliable veteran on an expiring deal, which always makes a player more enticing for a team looking to give its roster a push during the season.
Utah's current situation wasn't expected. The performance last season gave the impression that the Jazz were ahead of schedule in their rebuild. Now, they could potentially begin adding more assets to their stockpile as they look to patiently improve their overall development.
Regardless of whether the Jazz move on from one of their players or strike several deals, it's becoming clear that Danny Ainge's focus is still firmly on the future. As such, it should come as no surprise that some of the team's elder statesmen are the first names to hit the trade block. The bigger question is: Will they be the only ones, or are even more players going to be made available?
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