The Utah Jazz could absolutely benefit off of the Damian Lillard trade request

The Damian Lillard trade may be forthcoming and the Utah Jazz should find a way to benefit of it.

The Portland Trail Blazers are looking to trade off Damian Lillard. The current idea seems to be getting him to the Miami Heat, as that is really the only place he seeminly wants to go. So any other team wanting to get Lillard are going to be out of luck. The only problem with this whole scenario, the only player that they have that can realistically be traded is Tyler Herro. Portland doesn’t want Herro, which means a second trade partner is needed.

That’s where the Utah Jazz comes into play, a team already linked to Lillard and the Trail Blazers. While Herro on his own would be a good enough acquistion for the franchise, the Jazz could easily work this trade to seriously improve things. Herro is a great piece, and combined with Lauri Markkanen would jump start the team’s playoff aspirations.

But what they could also do is try and work this trade so that it benefits them even more. Now, it’d be absurd for the team to expect something like Bam Adebayo, or a first-round pick, they don’t need to think in giant absolutes. Gettinng Herro is great, but what about Herro and a secocnd round-pick?

That seems a lot more realistic. So is the idea of getting a bit more. Right now the Jazz only have about $2 million in cap space, so any trade involving Herro coming in will likely involve someone else going out.

The obvious pick is Jordan Clarkson, as he’s in his 30s, and doesn’t fit the timeline of the rest of the team, but what if that wasn’t the only players you’re parting ways with?

The Jazz realistically get upgrades at two key positions while not dealing much of importance. With the right pieces being moved around, and with the right incentive for some teams, the Jazz could realistically get Herro, a second-round pick and someone like Jusuf Nurkic in a deal that would see some combination of Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker and or Kelly Olynyk. Some combination of those three players could realistically get the Jazz Herro and Nurkic.

Those two, with Markkane, Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, (hopefully) Ochai Agbaji and the influx of three new rookies could easily make the Jazz playoff contenders in the West.