Utah Jazz: Pros and Cons of Potential Trades

The Utah Jazz aren’t the only ones who have been tied to Jeff Teague; reports have surfaced that the Indiana Pacers are very much interested in him as well. Apparently George Hill is the player that the Pacers have dangled as a potential trade piece to acquire Teague.

However, as KSL’s Andy Larsen points out, it seems strange that the Hawks would trade away Teague, with the justification being that Dennis Schroeder will be able to step in as starting point guard, only to bring in another starting quality point guard. This is where the Jazz come in.

Larsen proposes a potential trade where Teague goes to the Pacers, Burks goes to the Hawks, and George Hill goes to the Jazz.

Pros: On the surface this might not seem like a great deal, but Hill could potentially be a great fit for Utah. The unassuming but reliable guard has proven capable of stepping into whatever role is required of him.

It was no secret that he was one of Gregg Popovich’s all-time favorite players to coach–that endorsement alone speaks volumes to Hill’s worth. It’s true that Hill’s points per game are down this year, but that should come as no surprise as Paul George’s return and the addition of Monta Ellis have relieved Hill of much of the scoring burden he had in 2014-15. However, it’s important to note that during that season, Hill stepped up big time putting up career highs in points and assists, further proof of his adaptability.

Moreover, he is currently shooting a scorching 43.3 percent from deep for the season with nearly two makes per game. While all of this is excellent, Hill truly hangs his hat on being a defensive guard. He is a better defender than Teague and is significantly better than Burke. Truly for the Jazz, his scoring ability would be a nice perk, but his elite defense would be the most beneficial.

Further down the road, Hill could prove to be a terrific defensive mentor for Exum who has already shown enormous strides in that area. As far as fit goes, Hill could potentially be the best available point guard option for the Jazz if searching for a boost this season.

Cons: Again we return to the issue of having to give up Burks. True, it’s usually impossible to get an impact player in return without giving up a solid asset. Every good trade is probably going to hurt a little. But would parting ways with Burks really be worth it to get Hill who is 29 and has likely hit his ceiling?

Verdict: While I have a hard time believing a trade like this will actually go down, there certainly is some upside to it. I believe Hill would be a solid fit for the Jazz (more so than Teague) in terms of his adaptability and play style, plus his defense would fit perfectly into the Jazz’s recent identity. Nevertheless, there might need to be a little more in return for the Jazz to sweeten the deal such as a Bazemore-type player that would provide depth in the aforementioned potential scenario.

So there you have it. There’s a few potential scenarios for the Jazz to chew on and take a look at. While they certainly could look to improve their frontcourt depth, it seems most likely that any trades the Jazz make will be focused on shoring up their point guard position. What are your thoughts? Do you love/hate any of these trades? What would you like to see the Jazz do? Hit me up on Twitter or comment below.

Next: Utah Jazz News: Trade Frenzy Begins

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