Utah Jazz: Lyles for Mitchell and the Top 7 trades in team history
By Ryan Aston
4) Jazz get ‘The Knicks Pick’; February 19, 2004
Utah trades Ben Handlogten and what remains of Keon Clark to the Phoenix Suns for Tom Gugliotta, two first-round draft picks and a second-round pick.
With Gordon Hayward’s decision to move Eastward last summer, it’s hard to give this one its due. Still, the confluence of events that brought him to the 801 stand out among the team’s best front office maneuvers.
It’s wild to think about, but the pick used to draft Hayward was actually acquired way back in ’04 when Utah was still figuring things out after the Stockton/Malone/Sloan era had reached its end. For context, the 2017 All-Star was still in middle school when the deal was consummated.
In the end, it went down as one of the Association’s ultimate “something for nothing” trades. For my money, it was also the best move Kevin O’Connor made as Jazz GM.
Utah sent the erstwhile Keon Clark and Ben Handlogten, a likeable guy and a hard worker (if not an NBA-level athlete), for the pick that would eventually become Utah’s floor leader.
The Suns had originally obtained the pick from the New York Knicks. And while it was loaded with protections, the 1-2 punch of Scott Layden/Isiah Thomas-led front offices and major injuries to Antonio McDyess and Allan Houston ensured that the Knicks would be forever terrible.
So the countdown was on.
Year after year, New York scuffled through embarrassing seasons. Finally, in 2010, the time came to pay the piper–the protections had expired. After years of waiting, the fabled Knicks pick would be conveyed to the Jazz.
The lottery didn’t quite work out in Utah’s favor and the pick fell to No. 9. However, that pick became Hayward; proof-positive that good things come to those who wait. Then good things get the seven-year itch and head to Beantown.
Next: Stifling the Denver Nuggets