The Utah Jazz started the offseason with a bang, dealing Rudy Gobert and Royce O’Neale in dramatic fashion to the Wolves and Nets for draft capital. While the franchise has found themselves in the middle of pretty much every offseason rumor, the only waves the Jazz have made was trading recent acquisition Patrick Beverly to the Lakers for Stanley Johnson and Talen Horton-Tucker.
The main focal point for the entire NBA offseason has been Donovan Mitchell. Almost every team has called the Jazz to make an offer, including the Cavaliers, but recently The Land pulled out of the Mitchell sweepstakes due to the high asking price set by the Jazz.
That doesn’t mean the Jazz and Cavs might not make a deal before the season starts. With Mitchell off the table, the Cavs are still looking to add some offensive firepower. The team has an All-Star guard in Darius Garland and has decided to head in the opposite direction of the modern NBA, building around big men instead of guards who can sink the three.
Utah Jazz: Could SLC still welcome Collin Sexton?
The Cavs drafted Kansas standout Ochai Agbaji with the 14th pick, and the Cavs have a clear direction moving forward. Caris LeVert, Ricky Rubio, and Rajon Rondo will all be veteran leaders in the backcourt, while Garland and Agbaji lead an up-tempo offense.
Collin Sexton is the odd man out. The guard is entering his fifth year and is coming off a torn meniscus. His first three seasons saw him average 38% from deep, but in 11 games last season he took a dip. The Cavs could use some wing scoring, and the Jazz could use another scoring threat in the backcourt if they decide to keep Mitchell.
In this very simple proposal, the Cavs add a much-needed wing who can hit shots from deep, and the Jazz get younger and create one of the best young backcourts in the league. Two volume scorers have worked together before–Pierce and Allen did it in Boston, and Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant ran the West for a short period. The Jazz could copy the formula.
If Collin Sexton can return to form, the Jazz would have the best backcourt depth in the league. Sexton and Mitchell would lead the way, and Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson is an insane bench unit. The defense would be a problem, but if Walker Kessler can become the guy he’s projected to be, all will be well in the SLC.