Evaluating the “tradability” of each Utah Jazz player

Considering that the Utah Jazz are likely to be major participants in the trade market this year, here’s a look at each Jazzman’s tradability and value with the deadline just a month away.

With yet another discouraging loss that dropped the Utah Jazz to 16-24 overall, 3-17 on the road and 0-3 in 2018 (during the “bounce-back” month of January, no less), it seems that with each passing day, a return to the lottery is becoming more and more of a certainty. Be it in blowout fashion or as a result of blown opportunities, the Jazz continue to find various ways to break our hearts and discouragement is quickly settling in.

The good news is that, in spite of the fact that this year has turned out even more disappointing than many of us imagined thus far, we all knew that the 2017-18 season would be a bit of a loss. Clearly the goal of this season wasn’t going to be to win a championship, but rather to evaluate the talent on the roster and decide which pieces belonged long-term and which were expendable.

Unfortunately, more of them are looking expendable than perhaps Jazz brass might’ve liked at this point in the season.

That disappointing truth aside, however, considering that the Jazz have a number of expiring contracts and contracts with team options for players that may not fit in with their long term plans, you can bet that they will aim to be major players leading up to this season’s trade deadline. The Jazz are certainly aware that they’re in need of changes and will look to benefit as much as they possibly can to improve their chances at success in the coming seasons.

With that being the case, I thought it would be a worthwhile exercise to look at each current member of the Utah Jazz roster and assess just how “tradable” they are in terms of their value, contract and whether or not the Jazz would be willing to part with them and/or get anything in return.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at Utah’s current roster and what they have on their hands for trade bait, shall we?

Rudy Gobert

It’s been a disappointing season for Rudy Gobert, to be sure. One year removed from earning All-NBA Second Team and All-NBA Defensive First Team honors, the prolific center hasn’t had much of a chance to prove himself in 2017-18. He’s dealing with his second knee injury, both of which came off of what can only be described as freak accidents. When he has been on the floor, he’s struggled to develop chemistry with Ricky Rubio or the rest of his Jazz teammates.

Of course, part of that has to do with how little time he’s had to play with them to develop a rhythm. Both times that it appeared Rudy was starting to get in a groove, he fell victim to a fresh injury. Those woes are clearly the reason for his downturn in production and worsened stats from last season.

Even so, Rudy Gobert is still an elite talent who just so happens to be on a pretty reasonable contract considering that Utah extended him before he broke out and turned into what many would consider a max player. With that being the case, he’s without a doubt one of, if not the most valuable player Utah has, and they could certainly net a nice return if they were to trade him.

Obviously, though, such an idea isn’t even in the cards. The Stifle Tower has expressed nothing but loyalty to the Jazz and the Jazz have expressed nothing but loyalty back to him. Despite some struggles this season, Gobert has proven himself as a top-tier talent in the league and there’s simply no reasonable way that Utah would look to trade him. He’s their man at the five-spot and there’s no one they would even think of replacing him with.

With that being said, while plenty of teams might be willing to trade an awful lot for Rudy, he’s even more valuable to the Jazz. For all intents and purposes, he should be considered off limits and is without a doubt in Utah to stay.

Verdict: Untouchable

Ricky Rubio

As hard as it might be to believe, Ricky Rubio is actually the second-highest paid Jazzman this season at $14.1 million. Coming into this season, that was believed to actually be a pretty great value, which speaks volumes to how well the Jazz have utilized their cap space this year. Rubio has one more year left on his contract in which his pay will jump slightly to $14.8 million, but in all, he was viewed as a starting-caliber point guard on a nice contract that would pay big dividends for the Jazz.

Unfortunately, that view has changed dramatically now that the season has gotten underway as Rubio has been nothing short of atrocious for the Jazz and one of the biggest disappointments of the 2017-18 season. While before it was viewed as a deal to have him under contract for two years, now it appears as if it will be somewhat of a drag that Utah will have to pay him for an entire additional year.

Hopefully, he undergoes some major improvements and can still live up to what Utah thought he could be when they brought him in, but based on what we’ve seen so far, I don’t see that being the case. As much as I’d love to see the Jazz try to move Rubio based on how terrible of a fit he’s been thus far, I have a hard time believing that will happen. If I were a betting man, I’d guess that they’ll stick through his full contract.

That’s partially just how the Jazz operate, but also, Rubio’s done nothing to inspire any opposing teams to pursue him in a trade, so I don’t know that the Jazz could trade him even if they wanted to! Maybe Utah could include him as part of a package, or perhaps teams can overlook his poor play this year and will hope they can turn him back into the assist extraordinaire that he was in Minnesota. Maybe others will still fall victim to having interest in a guy that’s become very well known in the NBA.

But I have a hard time believing that any of that will be able to cover up the fact that Rubio is shooting less than 40 percent from the field, less than 30 percent from deep, dishing out less than five assists per game and turning it over nearly three times per contest.

In short, Rubio has not looked good at all, and even if Utah wanted to trade him, they’d be hard-pressed to get any sort of meaningful value for him. Like it or not, Jazz fans, it appears we’re stuck with Rubio for the time being.

Verdict: Expendable, but low value – unlikely to be traded

Joe Ingles

The rather hefty contract that Joe Ingles signed this offseason was nothing short of controversial among Utah Jazz fans. Many felt that four years, $52 million for a player who had only barely cracked the starting lineup and had been little more than a glue guy (albeit a very effective one) was dishing out more cash than he was worth.

I can see some merit to that opinion, but I was honestly in the opposite camp and in support of Ingles’ contract. Not only has he been an exceptional role player for the Jazz, made the team better with all the intangibles he brings, been an excellent locker room presence, become an improved defender and been nothing but loyal to the Jazz, but he’s also on a descending contract which makes him more and more affordable as time goes by.

Utah had little else to spend their money on this summer, especially once Gordon Hayward bid the team adieu, so paying Ingles a little more up front to have some extra flexibility in the future was a nice move. However, he (like much of the Jazz team) has faced his struggles this season, thus other teams may not see his contract as all that appealing.

I still think that Ingles has plenty of value, though. Even with recent struggles, he’s shooting 43.3 percent from three, and while he hasn’t impressed as much this year as last, he still brings a lot of positives to the table. If the Jazz are looking to bring back some decent value in a trade, including Ingles might actually get them somewhere even if some opponents are hesitant about his contract matching up with his actual worth on the basketball court.

Nevertheless, based on how much the Jazz have loved having Ingles as a member of the team and how much he’s expressed his love of playing in Utah, I seriously doubt they’ll look to move him. That kind of loyalty is often overlooked in other markets, but it’s become quite crucial for the Jazz.

Not only that, but I think Jazz brass, including Coach Snyder, values what Ingles brings to the team more than other teams might. He has a lot of useful tools that fit the team’s mantra and Utah would likely be very hard-pressed to get back the right pieces in return by moving Ingles.

Therefore, while I don’t think Ingles is untouchable by any means, I think his pros in Utah outweigh what he could net the Jazz in return in a transaction. He’s surely one of the Jazz’s better pieces, but I wouldn’t count on him being moved in a deadline deal this season.

Verdict: Tradable and valuable despite a questionable contract, but unlikely to be moved

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

Alec Burks

If only the Utah Jazz could have known what they know now when they signed Alec Burks to a four-year, $42 million contract extension. Burks has done extremely little to contribute to Utah’s success since inking that deal and continues to be more of a hurt than a help. Much of Burks early woes had to do with constant bouts with injury, but now even while he’s healthy, he’s been unable to find his shot and his poor decision making still looms large.

What’s worse is that the Jazz still owe Burks nearly $10.9 million for this year and over $11.5 million next year. That’s not back-breaking money, but it certainly hurts to have that much committed to a guy that is doing little to bring the team success. The Jazz have given AB ample playing time this season (sometimes in head-scratching fashion), presumably to raise his trade value, but he’s done little to achieve even that.

Therefore, you can bet that the Jazz would love to move Alec Burks’ contract to free up some cap space and rid themselves of a guy who has underachieved big time in a Jazz uniform. Unfortunately, barring a miracle or some sort of craftily-constructed package deal, I don’t see any way the Jazz find a taker for him.

He hasn’t proven to be worth what he’s being paid in any way, shape or form, and with another year left on his contract, even the financially desperate teams won’t want to bite on him. Painful though it may be, the Jazz may very well just have to live with Alec Burks for the remainder of his contract – poor decisions, bad shooting, inability to finish at the rim and all.

Verdict: Extremely expendable, but very little value – not likely to be traded

Joe Johnson

Man, putting this list together is making me realize more and more just how sad 2017-18 has been. Last year, Joe Johnson was an absolute stud for the Jazz. He was an awesome presence on the court and in the locker room, came up clutch on a number of occasions and even willed the Jazz to several victories including in the playoffs.

Fans were ready to sing his praises and construct a statue outside of Vivint Smart Home Arena due to his exhilarating play. Unfortunately, so far this season, saying he’s had a disappointing year doesn’t even do it justice.

Johnson missed a big portion of the season with a wrist injury, but even before that he looked off. He’s had a couple nice outings since returning, but for the most part he’s been absolutely unable to get a rhythm and, quite frankly, has looked disengaged and uninterested, particularly on the defensive end.

That’s led to him shooting an abysmal 40.7 percent from the field and 23.4 percent from deep while posting a team-low plus/minus of -5.5. That’s a bad combo for the Jazz not only for their on-court success but also for their chances of moving a guy who appears to finally be either damaged goods or falling victim to Father Time.

Considering that Iso Joe is 36 years old, it’s probably safe to say that he doesn’t figure in to Utah’s long-term plans. Combine that with the fact that he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after this year and it’s an almost guarantee that he won’t be back with the Jazz next season. Therefore, much like with Favors, the Jazz would be wise to cut their losses with Johnson and trade him away at the deadline rather than lose him for nothing.

Once again, a team looking for a savvy and experienced vet to help with a playoff run or a team that could make use of an expiring contract could very well enjoy having Johnson around for a brief stint. In those regards he’s quite tradable. Although he hasn’t played that well this season and that could certainly hurt his value, he’s also a seven-time All-Star with an excellent reputation across the league, which could make him considerably more attractive in spite of recent woes that could be attributed to injury recovery.

Therefore, while he’s not the cream of the crop on the trade market, Johnson does have some pretty desirable traits for opposing teams, so look for the Jazz to be quite willing to part ways with him before the season’s end if the opportunity arises.

Verdict: Expendable, relatively valuable – relatively likely to be traded

Thabo Sefolosha

When looking at him as a trade piece, Thabo Sefolosha is an interesting case. In a lot of ways, he was somewhat of a last-ditch effort for the Jazz to fill the gaping hole that Gordon Hayward left in free agency and they were able to acquire him on a very friendly two-year, $10.5 million deal. While Sefolosha was viewed as likely a nice role player pick-up, he’s actually surprisingly been one of Utah’s best players this year.

With that being the case, his trade value is also likely reasonably high. He’s a solid veteran that boasts a ton of experience, an elite defender and he’s shot the ball really quite well this season at 48.7 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from deep.

In other words, while he’s not going to bring in an earth-shattering prize, Sefolosha could very well be one of Utah’s most valuable trade pieces. And if the right deal arises (particularly a package that allows the Jazz to shed a detrimental contract such as Burks’), then Utah could absolutely opt to part ways with Sefolosha.

Related Story: Utah Jazz: Regardless of match-up, Thabo Sefolosha needs to play

While I think there’s a chance of that happening, I actually hope that it doesn’t end up being the case. I’ve talked a lot about Utah looking to do what will be best for them in the long-term and finding guys that will be a fit for the future, and even though Sefolosha is only under contract for one more season after this one and although he’s 33 years old, I feel like he’s been too dang good for the Jazz to just let him go.

So Sefolosha has some nice value and could very well be traded, but with how few guys the Jazz have right now that appear to mesh well with the team, I wouldn’t mind if they pumped the brakes on sending him packing and instead held on to him to see what he can do next season in a presumably more prosperous year for the Jazz. His contract isn’t holding back the Jazz much at all and there’s a lot of good that he could still do for this team.

Verdict: Tradable, solid value, but Jazz may not want to move him

Dante Exum

One of the thrills going into the 2017-18 season was going to be finally getting to see Dante Exum in action and finally getting the chance to find out if he could really prove his worth. He’d shown plenty of flashes of greatness, particularly in Summer League and preseason, and his play in 2017-18 was very well going to determine his future.

But of course in typical Jazz fashion, Exum went down in the preseason with a nasty shoulder injury that has held him out of action up to this point. Suddenly, all hopes of seeing what he could do and evaluating his worth were cast aside.

And that makes him yet another tricky case as a trade option. Sure, some teams might be interested in the young guard based on potential only, but he really hasn’t done much to prove his value. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of this season, making him a pretty low-risk option as well for opposing teams, so there could be some appeal in trading for Exum, especially if a team believes he could be a major contributor for them in the future.

However, I also happen to believe that that’s exactly how the Jazz feel themselves. None of us have seen what Exum is truly capable of and before trading him away for likely pennies on the dollar, I would imagine that Utah will want to hold on to him and see what they truly have. They’d quite honestly be hard-pressed to get much in return for him right now anyway considering his injury woes and slow start to his career, so I’d imagine they’d at least see how much it will take to retain him in free agency before giving up on him so soon.

I’d put Exum certainly in the top third or so in terms of Utah’s most valuable trade pieces, but I’d also rank him pretty low on the list of likelihood to be traded. The Jazz aren’t going to part with Exum at a time when they could potentially sign a future star to an extremely affordable deal. Even if Dante never pans out, keeping him on the roster is most definitely worth the risk.

Verdict: Tradable, relatively valuable, but unlikely to be moved

Jonas Jerebko

It’s been an interesting season for Jonas Jerebko so far. He started out the year outside of the rotation, then worked his way in and played pretty well, but of late he’s reverted back to some struggles and hasn’t played the last two games.

There’s certainly some traits to like about Jerebko as he’s a solid stretch-four who’s shooting 43.1 percent from deep this season, is a reliable role player and always brings high energy to the table. Not only that, but he’s on an extremely affordable two-year, $8 million contract with a team option in year two.

Therefore, even if a team didn’t intend to keep him around long term but was just looking for a spark off the bench, they could add Jerebko on the cheap this year and not have to worry about him after that. Or, if they like what he brings, they could keep him on for a second year at just $4 million.

Perhaps the Jazz will do just that themselves. Jerebko hasn’t been awful for them by any means and has shown plenty of signs of being a good fit. On the other hand, since he certainly has some positive value, he’s done nothing to prove that he’s expendable for the Jazz so they shouldn’t be hesitant to move him if a team comes calling with the right return package.

Essentially, Jerebko is a middle-of-the-road guy. If Utah can’t find a good trade for him, it’s no big deal. But if he can be inserted into a trade package that will make the Jazz better in the long term, then they should do it without a second thought.

Verdict: Tradable, relatively valuable – very well could be traded, but not necessarily likely

Ekpe Udoh

Much like Thabo Sefolosha, Ekpe Udoh has been very much a pleasant surprise this season. Though he was viewed as somewhat of a risky and unforeseen signing, at just $6.5 million over two years, he was quite the bargain to begin with. And quite honestly, he’s been just about everything the Jazz could ask for at the backup center position, if not more.

His defense has been solid as he’s served as a worthy rim protector for Utah’s second unit and has filled his role perfectly. Udoh’s become an extremely nice piece for the Jazz and I don’t believe they’ll put any sort of emphasis on trading him. He’s certainly a guy who could contribute for the Jazz this year, next year and beyond.

With that being said, though, much like was the case with Jonas Jerebko, it’s not like Udoh is absolutely untouchable. He’s played great, to be sure, but perhaps that and his friendly contract will only help the Jazz be able to get a surprisingly nice return. If such an opportunity arises, then Utah shouldn’t be afraid to deal Udoh.

Nevertheless, I don’t see Udoh being that highly sought after despite his solid play and, as I mentioned, I don’t see Utah being at all hot to trot on moving him off the roster. Barring an unbelievable offer, I wouldn’t expect to see the Jazz part ways with Udoh this season.

Verdict: Tradable, relatively valuable, but unlikely to be moved

Donovan Mitchell

This one hardly merits a slide. A rising star on a rookie contract that’s been nothing but sensational for the Jazz? Sure, that has all kinds of value. In fact, so much value that I don’t think any team will be able to match it in any sort of reasonable trade. And the Jazz won’t be looking to field any such offers anyway.

Mitchell may very well be the best thing to happen to the Jazz in the post-Stockton/Malone era, so they’re not about to part ways with him in any sort of deal that will feasibly be extended to them. The Jazz have control over Mitchell’s destiny for at least the next seven years. Don’t count on them letting go of him any sooner than that.

Verdict: Untouchable

Rodney Hood

I may be in the minority on Rodney Hood and quite frankly I’m OK with that. My opinion? He’s one of Utah’s most valuable trade pieces given that, despite some bad and frustrating traits, there’s a lot to like about him and he has a lot of potential. However, since I don’t think that he’s an absolutely necessary part of this team and since he has fallen into shooting slumps and poor decisions time and time again, he’d be my top option to trade if Utah’s able to get any sort of promising value in return.

Hood will be a restricted free agent at the end of this year, which means that if a team trades for him, they’ll have the ability to keep him if they want to. Meanwhile, if the Jazz keep him, they may find him commanding a price well above what he’s truly worth. I’d hate to see Utah end up letting him walk when they could have traded him for something at the deadline and, even worse, I’d absolutely hate to see them overpay him creating an Alec Burks contract 2.0 situation.

As I mentioned, there’s a lot to like about Hood. He’s putting up career-highs in points per game (16.8) and three-point percentage (39.2 percent) and has shown growth in a number of other areas. However, considering his history with injuries, inconsistency and unreliability, I think the very promise that he’s shown is the perfect reason to trade him. The Jazz may be able to get more in return for Hood than for about anyone else on the roster.

Related Story: Utah Jazz: Is Rodney Hood expendable after all?

And especially when considering how he’s looked overall of late with several of his trademark “disappearing act” games, I worry that he’s on the cusp of reverting back to the Hood of old, so Utah may be wise to move him while his value still appears quite high.

Hood brings some nice things to the table, but especially now that Utah has Donovan Mitchell, that Hood may require quite the pay raise this summer and that his poor decision making and streaky shooting have often cancelled out his positive traits, I wouldn’t mind one bit if Utah shipped him out.

Of course, there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to find a good deal for him, which in that case they shouldn’t move him out of desperation. Not only that, but as I mentioned, I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority on Hood and it’s more than likely that the team will look to keep him and bring him back in restricted free agency.

Even so, hopefully the Jazz won’t be too closed off about potentially parting ways with a guy who might be able to bring in a highly beneficial return.

Verdict: Tradable, solid value, but Jazz may not want to move him

Raul Neto

As my J-Notes colleague Ryan Aston just reported, the Utah Jazz recently guaranteed the remainder of Raul Neto’s contract for the 2017-18 season. He’s unfortunately missed a signifcant amount of time this year due to injury, but when he’s been on the court, he’s been steady for the Jazz.

With that being the case, it’s pretty clear that the Jazz are fond of him and probably aren’t overeager to part ways with him. However, the fact that he’s proven to be a capable point guard could earn him some favor in the eyes of certain teams that are looking for just that sort of player. Therefore, Neto could very well be a nice add-in if the Jazz want to sweeten a deal to net a certain prize that they might be after.

Nevertheless, I’d say it’s a stretch that Neto is likely to be traded. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of this year that the Jazz will likely be able to keep at a relatively affordable rate and he likely won’t be all that highly demanded on the trade market. Utah could certainly get away with trading Neto on their end, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be involved in any sort of transaction.

Verdict: Tradable, relatively valuable, but unlikely to be moved

Tony Bradley

Tony Bradley hasn’t had much opportunity to show his worth in a Utah Jazz uniform, but that comes as little surprise. It was pretty well known that Bradley was a project coming into this year and while he’s had some nice outings with the Salt Lake City Stars, he has a long ways to go yet.

Therefore, about the only things he has that make him valuable are the fact that he’s extremely young and could still very well have an incredible ceiling and, of course, that he’s on an affordable rookie contract. Nevertheless, considering he hasn’t done much at all to be viewed as over-appealing, he’d likely only be included in a trade if he were a last minute throw-in to facilitate a deal.

With the Jazz likely anxious to see what Bradley can bring in the future, don’t expect him to be moved any time soon.

Verdict: Tradable, low value – unlikely to be moved

Royce O’Neale

Royce O’Neale has been one of my favorite surprises of the season. Although I was sad when the Jazz parted ways with Joel Bolomboy, I’ve absolutely loved what O’Neale has brought to the table. He has all the looks of an NBA rotation player with his solid defense and respectable three-point shot. He has plenty of room for improvement, but also a nice potential that could get him far.

Once again, he could be used in a trade as a pot-sweetener. However, he’s costing the Jazz next to nothing and appears to be one of their “diamond in the rough” projects that they’ll want to see play out before moving him prematurely. Royce has done enough to look promising, but not enough to draw the attention of teams looking to strike a deal, so don’t count on him being moved.

Verdict: Tradable, low value – unlikely to be moved

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So as you can see, the Utah Jazz have quite the broad spectrum of players in terms of value and tradability. While, quite honestly, unless the Jazz were to part with Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell (they won’t), they likely don’t have the value to bring in any players or assets that are that mind-blowing. Still, they have a few nice pieces that could help them improve over the long run.

If I were a betting man, I’d guess that Derrick Favors and Joe Johnson are probably the two most likely to be moved. However, that’s not necessarily a guarantee and it really feels like anyone besides Utah’s two untouchables are pretty fair game. Of course, it takes two to tango, so a lot of what the Jazz do will depend on what opportunities are out there, which could severely hamper what they’re capable of pulling off.

Nevertheless, I’d be quite shocked if we didn’t see the Utah Jazz come up in some way, shape or form as we draw ever so near to the 2017-18 trade deadline on February 8th. Be sure to stay glued to TheJNotes.com for when all those juicy trade rumors and exciting trade news start to break.