The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz trade deadline 2019: Five potential shooting guard targets

By Jared Woodcox

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers handles the ball against the Utah Jazz on November 30, 2017 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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 2017 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers handles the ball against the Utah Jazz on November 30, 2017 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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 2017 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 18: Antonio Blakeney #9 of the Chicago Bulls looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on October 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 18: Antonio Blakeney #9 of the Chicago Bulls looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on October 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Antonio Blakeney

This one is very much below the radar, but hear me out for a second. The name Antonio Blakeney isn’t getting any Jazz fan excited or filling their mind with visions of Larry O’Brien Trophies. But this guy has been solid with the Chicago Bulls. His 7.8 points per contest don’t exactly jump off the page, but what does is his 45.7 percent shooting from 3-point land this season.

A formerly overlooked player, Blakeney has worked hard to improve his craft and is having a heck of a season in that regard as a result. Adding another shooter to the Jazz second unit would be a great insurance policy for the Jazz and if Antonio can continue to get better as he has, he may even be able to contribute more than one would think.

True, it doesn’t seem all that likely that the Bulls would move on from one of their young pieces on such a manageable salary. However, it was recently reported that Chicago is looking to add veterans on expiring contracts to bolster their young core, with one of their purported targets being the Jazz’s own Ricky Rubio.

Now, it gets a little tricky figuring out what the Jazz and Bulls would both give up to put Blakeney in a Jazz uniform, unless the Jazz wanted Jabari Parker, in which case Utah could do something like Rubio and Thabo Sefolosha for Blakeney and Parker. I have a hard time seeing that happening, to say the least, but you get the idea of how an exchange for Blakeney would likely involve two players on both sides.

Still, if there’s a chance the Jazz could find a mutually beneficial deal that also gives them a young and intriguing prospect such as Blakeney, I wouldn’t be at all opposed to seeing them roll that dice.