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Utah Jazz: Eight years later, Korver returns in trade for Burks

SALT LAKE CITY - FEBRUARY 27: Kyle Korver #26 of the Utah Jazz smiles on the court during the game against the Houston Rockets on February 27, 2010 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz won 133-110. Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY - FEBRUARY 27: Kyle Korver #26 of the Utah Jazz smiles on the court during the game against the Houston Rockets on February 27, 2010 at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz won 133-110. Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

A Utah Jazz squad short on shooting ability has re-acquired one of the NBA’s best-ever marksmen, 16-year veteran Kyle Korver.

When last we saw Kyle Korver banging down triples for the Utah Jazz, the basketball world (and the world at large, really) was a very different place. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were still on top, LeBron James had yet to take his talents to South Beach and the Jazz band was grooving behind Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur.

Eight years later, Korver still has that stroke — something the Jazz have been in dire need of. The team is currently in the bottom three in the Association in 3-point shooting at 32 percent. So, just ahead of his squad’s road bout with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey brought the 16-year veteran back into the fold.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Jazz have agreed to a trade that will send Alec Burks and two future second-round picks to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Korver.

Burks had appeared in 17 games for the Jazz this season, averaging 8.4 points in just under 16 minutes per contest. In doing so, he made 41 percent of his shots from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range.

As for Korver, the 37-year-old is putting up nearly seven points per game and knocking down 46 percent of his triples. With his minutes decreasing, his attempts from range have gone down overall, but he’s still taking 70 percent of his shots as threes and hitting at a high rate.

He was a 41-percent 3-point shooter over 180 games for the Jazz from 2007-10.

Nevertheless, the deal isn’t a clear home-run. Aside from outside shooting, the biggest problem facing the Jazz on the offensive side of the ball this season has been shot creation. And besides Donovan Mitchell, Burks was the only Jazz player who could consistently create his own offense.

At this point in his career, Korver offers little beyond his 3-point shot.

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There’s a chance that Lindsey could have other irons in the fire. By swapping Burks’ $11.3 million dollar salary for Korver’s (worth $7.5 million), the Jazz have given themselves more room to play with ahead of the trade deadline. And while Burks’ deal was expiring, only $3.4 million of Korver’s deal for next season is guaranteed.

In any case, though, there’s no doubting that Korver can help the Jazz’s outside shooting woes, even if it’s in small doses off the bench.

Stay tuned to The J-Notes over the coming days for further analysis of the Korver-Burks trade.

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