Three Mock Trades to Improve Utah’s Defense

The Utah Jazz can claim Rudy Gobert as their best defensive player, but probably not for much longer. The disgruntled star no longer wants to play in Salt Lake City or with Donovan Mitchell. While losing a perennial Defensive Player of the Year is never a blow a team wants to take, keeping Gobert happy should not be the Jazz’s main defensive priority this summer.

Both Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson are below-average defenders according to FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR projection. While both players are excellent scorers and playmakers, the Jazz needs to shore up their defensive efforts in the backcourt. Having an All-NBA center means a lot less when players can meet him in the paint whenever they want because perimeter players can’t hold their own, and that’s exactly the pitfalls the Utah Jazz have found themselves in.

Finding a trade partner to help improve the defensive side of the ball does not need to be difficult. The Jazz have assets ranging from veteran leaders, sharpshooters, and All-Stars, so the return Utah might get back varies. Finding a team that wants to make a deal when the Jazz might not want to give up any draft picks might be difficult, but with only one obstacle in the way, I’m sure the front office can make it work.

If the Spurs Make Moves, They Could be a Partner

The San Antonio Spurs are rumored to be after Deandre Ayton and John Collins, and with a defensive power forward draft pick with Jeramy Sochan, the Spurs might be looking to relocate some talent to make some room. If the Spurs trade Dejounte Murray away, they might make a second trade to find a new backcourt scoring threat. It could look something like this.

Yes, the Jazz would have to give up Jordan Clarkson, but they would receive Tre Jones, one of the best pure young defenders in the league. While he struggles to score from deep, he is a great ball-handler and would allow Donovan Mitchell to play off-ball a lot more. The Spurs would also include Jakob Poeltl, who is one tier below bigs like Gobert, Jokic, and Embiid. While it’s a downgrade at the center, Poeltl could help keep the Jazz in contention as he locks down the paint.

With Gobert gone and not adding any major scoring threats, this would clearly be Mitchell’s team, and he would have the green light and keys to the offense. On the other side of the ball, the downgrade at the center is not actually a huge hit, and adding Jones would be a nightmare for opposing guards.