Utah Jazz trade deadline 2019: Five targets at the center position

It may not be the most obvious area of need, but if the Utah Jazz end up trading Derrick Favors, they’ll need a new back-up center.

With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching, Utah Jazz big man Derrick Favors once again finds himself at the forefront of the rumor mill. Outside of Mike Conley talk, i.e. the pursuit of a high-level point guard to pair with Donovan Mitchell in the Jazz backcourt, the biggest topics for debate among fans have been the power forward spot and Favors’ future with the team.

However, should the Jazz pull the trigger on a deal to swap Favors for a better fit at the four, they’ll be left with another issue that needs solving — the lack of a legit back-up to Rudy Gobert at center.

While Favors has been Utah’s starting power forward, his most important role recently has been sliding to the five when Gobert checks out. So you may be able to deal him for a better option in the first five, but you’d also be robbing Peter to pay Paul, in a sense.

Since Ekpe Udoh is likely already in his ideal zone as a third-string big and defensive specialist and Tony Bradley remains a project player, additional maneuvering would be required to find a new No. 2 in the pivot.

So, as part of our continuing series on potential Jazz trade targets by position, here are five centers that could be semi-realistic options ahead of the February 7 trade deadline. Disclaimer — I don’t expect the Jazz to deal for a center, but if they do, these are the kinds of players they should look at.