Offseason objectives for the Utah Jazz

3. Trade Alec Burks

It hurts to say it, but after another poor, injury riddled season, it looks as though the Jazz have no choice but to trade Alec Burks. He has been a fan favorite since the first time he stepped on the court back in the 2011-12 season.

Unfortunately, his lack of production due to nothing more than bad luck has taken away a very promising career with the Utah Jazz. If Burks was on a smaller contract (he is requiring roughly 11 million dollars in each of the next two seasons), the Jazz would entertain keeping him with the hopes he could someday return to his old, explosive self.

However, with what the Jazz are striving to achieve in the coming years, and having to extend the contracts of so many valuable players, they have to move Burks this offseason. As a result of all the injuries, Alec may have lost his trade value which will really hurt the Jazz. In exchange for Burks, the Jazz won’t bring in another player on a big contract. They will likely trade him to a non-playoff team that’s focused on rebuilding and needs to get over the salary floor.

The Philadelphia 76ers are the team that instantly comes to mind when I think of Alec Burks’ style of play. They are in desperate need of guards who can score and create offense, and they look to play a rather quick tempo. Burks fits that criteria quite well. The Jazz won’t ask for more than a second-round pick in return as their goal is to create as much cap space as possible. If no team is willing to take Burks off the Jazz’s hands, it could require the Jazz to package him with one of their first-round picks to extend the hand of another team.

It will be sad to see him go but the front office has to do what is right by the team as well as Alec Burks. It wouldn’t be fair to have Alec spending his prime sitting at the end of the Jazz’s bench when he could still be a valuable player for another team.