The J-Notes
Fansided

Adrian Dantley, Jeff Hornacek and the five best trades in Utah Jazz history

By Ryan Aston

SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 11: Adrian Dantley poses during his jersey retirement luncheon on April 11, 2007 at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City , Utah. Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY - APRIL 11: Adrian Dantley poses during his jersey retirement luncheon on April 11, 2007 at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City , Utah. Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Adrian Dantley Utah Jazz Darrell Griffith
LAS VEGAS – UNDATED: Utah Jazz players Darrell Griffith and Adrian Dantley pose near the Dunes Hotel circa the 1980’s in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

1) Jazz Get ‘AD’ from the LA Lakers; September 13, 1979

Spencer Haywood was sent by the Jazz to the Los Angeles Lakers for in exchange for Adrian Dantley.

After years of futility in New Orleans, the Jazz moved to Salt Lake City in 1979. Needless to say, the futility would continue until the 1983-84 season when the Jazz won the Midwest Division and qualified for the playoffs for the first time. ’79 was also the year the team acquired the player who led that playoff charge — Adrian Dantley.

The cost was steep. After coming to the Jazz via trade to finish the 1978-79 season, Spencer Haywood was awesome. In 34 games with the team, he averaged 24 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He was also married to Iman, so this is a happening guy we’re talking about.

However, he was also nearing the end of his career. Dantley, meanwhile, was just about to take off as one of the greatest scorers in the history of the game.

Right off the bat, Dantley was the focal point for Jazz offense, averaging 28 points per game in his first season in Utah. He would lead the team in scoring for seven straight years, finishing No. 1 in the NBA twice during that time. Both came during a stretch of four consecutive seasons in which AD averaged 30-plus PPG.

He also represented the Jazz in six All-Star games and was twice named to the All-NBA second team.

He changed everything for the franchise. Long before Stockton, Malone and Jerry Sloan made the Jazz elite, it was Dantley, Rickey Green, Mark Eaton and Frank Layden that gave the team relevancy.