It’s rumour season in the NBA, and the Utah Jazz, fresh off an NBA best 52-20 regular season record, have been the subject of much speculation.
Most notably, it is widely held that Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles could be available to rival suitors. Most observers regard these potential moves as cost-cutting measures, such as the one GM Justin Zanik already took in shipping fan-favourite Derrick Favors to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a second round pick and “cash considerations” (or, as they’re colloquially known, nothing).
Generally speaking, a team’s contention window is directly tied to an owner’s purse strings, like two parts in a Rube Goldberg machine. If Utah were able to retain Mike Conley Jr. on a team-friendly deal with a willingness to plunge into the luxury tax, they could still look to move Bogdanovic and Ingles in an effort to improve the team, instead of the financial ledger.
The Jazz should look to consolidate two valuable role players into one player with a little more star power. Depth is a luxury in the NBA: star power, and the shot creation that usually accompanies it, are a necessity. Here are 3 trades that could aid Utah’s contention campaign in the 2020-21 season: