The J-Notes
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How every major NBA rumor/transaction from a crazy day affects Utah Jazz

By Jared Woodcox

May 8, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) pats Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) on the back during the final minutes against the Golden State Warriors in game four of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) pats Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) on the back during the final minutes against the Golden State Warriors in game four of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 11, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Miles Plumlee (18) is defended by Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) and center Dwight Howard (8) in the second quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Miles Plumlee (18) is defended by Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) and center Dwight Howard (8) in the second quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

Hawks part ways with Dwight Howard

It was a short ride for Dwight Howard in his hometown of Atlanta as it was reported late Tuesday that the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a trade to send the enigmatic big man to the Charlotte Hornets. Atlanta is sending off Howard and the 31st pick in exchange for Miles Plumlee, Marco Belenelli and the 41st pick.

Howard wasn’t brilliant in Atlanta, but it still feels in a lot of ways like the Hawks got the short end of the stick in this one, whereas the Hornets could potentially make a big jump by adding a talented albeit sometimes frustrating player in Howard. This obviously signals a change in direction for the Hawks, which could very well push free agent Paul Millsap officially out of their ranks.

There was plenty of speculation that Millsap could not be returning anyway and unless he was simply frustrated playing alongside Howard and likes the idea of returning to an Atlanta team without him, it would appear that the Hawks are likely focusing more on the future and planning to rebuild. Meanwhile, Millsap’s career is certainly on the back end, but he has a lot of punch left and could be a valuable piece for a contender.

Enter the Utah Jazz connection! Several fans have speculated and drooled over the prospect of the former fan favorite returning to Utah, and while it would take some serious financial maneuvering (assuming Hayward stays), it isn’t beyond the realm of possibilities. And now that the Hawks have signaled a change of pace, it probably will be the final straw that makes Millsap officially look elsewhere.

Does that mean he’s headed to the Jazz? It’s still a long-shot, but again, each of these moves can have major repercussions to several teams league-wide and there’s no telling how this one could end up panning out.

More from The J-Notes

There were a few other minor announcements and rumors that surfaced on Tuesday, but these were by far the major ones (by 8:05 pm MT that is). As I mentioned earlier, I’m sure several of these reports are bound to change and are also certain to be joined by others in the near future.

And if the Jazz are destined to make a big splash and also put up a convincing case to keep Gordon Hayward, then it wouldn’t be surprising to see their team name added to the mix soon.

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