The J-Notes
Fansided

Evaluating the “tradability” of each Utah Jazz player

MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 7: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz makes his entrance before the game against the Miami Heat on January 7, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Oscar Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 7: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz makes his entrance before the game against the Miami Heat on January 7, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Oscar Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JANUARY 03: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz looks to pass the ball during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 3, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JANUARY 03: Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz looks to pass the ball during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 3, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)

Derrick Favors

Writing about Derrick Favors in this piece is probably going to make me a little bit sad. I absolutely love the guy. He’s been nothing but professional and hard-working in his time in Utah and every bit loyal to the organization. Despite some injury setbacks, he’s been a solid addition to the team both on and off the court and one of my personal favorites to play in a Jazz uniform since the Stockton and Malone days.

Unfortunately, he’s probably also the most likely to be dealt of anyone on the team.

Derrick Favors will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and while one could argue that he and the Jazz might want to come to terms to bring him back, I have a hard time seeing that happening. It’s pretty clear that playing Favors at the four and Gobert at the five simply isn’t going to work. Favors is much more fit to be a center in today’s NBA and paying to keep both of them doesn’t make a lick of sense whatsoever.

Therefore, even if Favors wanted to make a return, (which if it weren’t for the frontcourt log-jam or all the rumors that have surrounded him, I think would be a very real possibility) it’s unlikely that the Jazz would aim to do so. They’ve shown pretty clearly that they’re committed to Rudy Gobert as their starting center and regardless of how well Favors plays in Rudy’s absence, I don’t see any way that changes.

Related Story: Dear Utah Jazz, Please don’t trade Derrick Favors

So rather than let Favors leave at the end of the season for nothing, the Jazz could very well look to get some assets back this season by trading him. His value is somewhat shaky given that any team that trades for him has no guarantee of keeping him at the season’s end, but perhaps a team that wants to make a postseason push by adding the talented young big man or a team starving for financial flexibility that could use his expiring contract may be willing to go for him.

As far as his performance on the court, while he hasn’t been overwhelming this season, he’s certainly done enough to prove he has value and can help a team win. On the season, he’s averaging 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and has proven to be a worthy interior defender. In his last nine games with Gobert out of commission, Favors has put up an improved 14 points and 7.8 rebounds. In the right situation, he could still be an excellent addition.

In other words, if Utah finds a team that can provide that right situation and is interested in Favors, it’s more than likely that they will move him, even if what they get in return doesn’t quite match Favors’ true value. They’ll likely take moving him at a discount over getting zero in return this summer.

Favors’ value isn’t through the roof due to his good, but not great, play and the fact that he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he’s likely Utah’s most tradable asset if they can find the right trade partner that could make use of Favors from February onward.

Verdict: Extremely tradable, relatively valuable – very likely to be traded