The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: Eight intriguing (albeit difficult to pull off) Dante Exum trade ideas

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 13: Dante Exum #11 of the Utah Jazz arrives to the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 13, 2019 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 13: Dante Exum #11 of the Utah Jazz arrives to the game against the Golden State Warriors on December 13, 2019 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 08: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Chicago Bulls in action against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on December 08, 2019 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 08: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Chicago Bulls in action against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on December 08, 2019 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Thaddeus Young

2019-20 Salary: $12.9 million

Thaddeus Young has long been known as one of the more solid and consistent players in the league. He’s not going to set the world on fire with any one of his skills, but he’s well-rounded, great defensively and a sound veteran.

When some Jazz fans were considering Derrick Favors replacements, Thad Young was a guy who frequently came up thanks to his ability to defend both in the post and out to the perimeter, and his improved three-point shot. He certainly has a determination and effort befitting Quin Snyder squads, so he should be a nice fit from that standpoint.

Not to mention, he’d help fill the size void the Jazz are currently dealing with and would bring a higher IQ and defensive ability to Utah’s second unit than anyone can provide currently. As a true power forward, he’d fit nicely with both a strictly reserve group and a combination of starters, while providing the Jazz with excellent versatility against various opponents. Not to mention, as a former teammate of Bojan Bogdanovic’s, he could be a great chemistry fit as well.

Why the Bulls MIGHT do it:

Thad Young was a magnificent piece in Indiana the past three seasons as the ultimate glue guy, but his fit in Chicago has been awkward at best. His numbers have dipped significantly from a year ago as he’s being under and poorly utilized in his new home in the Windy City.

And with the Bulls struggling so mightily this season, they may rethink their addition of the veteran Young and instead look to add more youth and future assets. The Bulls thought that perhaps the veteran presence of Thad and Tomas Satoransky could help them nab a playoff spot in the East, but thus far they haven’t even been competitive.

Infusing Dante Exum’s defense and effort into an often inconsistent Chicago squad could make more sense for a young team than continuing to not get enough out of Thad. The Bulls need to make changes and Young is easily the most appealing guy on the roster for the Jazz that Chicago may actually be willing to move. The one negative would be the length and amount of his contract, but if he was able to replicate his play in Indiana in Utah as a reserve, he’d be an incredible spark for an often sputtering Jazz squad.