The 1 way the Luka Doncic-Lakers trade could hurt the Jazz

Shams Charania broke the internet when he reported that the Los Angeles Lakers had acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. The Utah Jazz were technically involved, but they were perhaps the least relevant detail in the trade.

The Jazz wanted Hood-Schifino, as reported back in November, and they got their guy. Better yet, it didn't require trading Walker Kessler to do it. No assets were needed to make their deal, which makes it a win for now until the Jazz see what he's made of.

However, this deal impacts the Jazz outside of getting Hood-Schifino and minor draft capital, and for what it's worth, it would have anyway, whether they were involved or not.

Suddenly that Lakers pick might have lost its value

The Jazz have the Lakers top-4 protected first-round pick in 2027 thanks to the Russell Westbrook trade from 2023. At the time, Utah made the trade with the understanding that LeBron James might not be around by the time that pick conveys.

Whether he is or isn't, the Lakers have basically just ensured themselves as a quality team with Doncic alone on the roster for the foreseeable future unless there are any surprises. While it's not like it's the end of the world for the Jazz, it's such a shame that a once golden asset may not have the value it once did.

The Jazz could have waited to see if it would give them a potential franchise player via the draft, or it could have been the main asset for the next NBA superstar that would hit the market in the next year. Crazy enough, a player who would have fit that description was Doncic himself. Apparently, no one in the NBA knew he was available outside of LA, and if they did, who's to say the Jazz wouldn't have offered that? It's Luka Doncic, for crying out loud!

But, now, he's not. So then, what do the Jazz do with the Lakers' first-round pick? Odds are, for now, they'll cross that bridge when they come to it two years from now. A lot can happen. Until last night, the Lakers' pick was arguably the best asset in Utah's arsenal. Who's to say its value can't be restored in due time?

It's a long shot, but the Jazz have time to sort this out. Their trade with the Suns emphasized that they want the highest-quality picks instead of the highest quantity. The Lakers getting Doncic is inconvenient on that front. Still, perhaps Utah could make a trade akin to the one they made with Phoenix to another team desperate for more assets (Hello, Milwaukee!) to capitalize on it.

This all kind of sucks for Utah, but it's also life in the NBA. Luckily, when there have been problems, the Jazz have known how to take care of it. Let's see how they take care of this.