Luka Doncic could be on the market soon. Can the Jazz make a move for him? Surprisingly, yes.
Rumors regarding Luka Doncic and his happiness, or lack thereof, in Dallas have been floating since the 2022-23 season ended. The offseason did little to end those trade rumors, even with Dallas’ re-signing of Kyrie Irving as his backcourt partner.
While the usual suspects like the Knicks and Lakers will always be mentioned in trade rumors for a star of the magnitude of Luka Doncic, another team could enter the realm – our own Utah Jazz.
For those thinking this is a Danny Ainge pipe dream, think again – Sam Quinn of CBS Sports made a detailed analysis for all 29 NBA teams in the Doncic race, should he ask out of Dallas, and ranked the Utah Jazz #5 overall. This is owing to the Jazz treasure trove of draft assets, which Dallas would likely find more desirable than what other teams could offer.
Getting a talent like Luka Doncic in a trade would instantly transform the Utah Jazz into championship contenders. He’s 24 years old, so in line with the young roster of the Jazz.
And with the recent max contracts being handed out to Jaylen Brown, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Nikola Jokic, Luka is a relative bargain at $40 million this year and signed through 2025-26, so 3 seasons under team control.
A lineup of Collins, Kessler, Markkanen, Doncic, and Jordan Clarkson would instantly be in the top half of the West in talent, and the attention Luka Doncic draws would benefit the rest of the Jazz players in getting many more open looks. Markkanen would be rightly cast as a 2nd star and would likely thrive next to Luka Doncic.
The Jazz could build an offer around Collin Sexton, Kelly Olynyk, Talen Horton-Tucker, and any future draft picks we own. This would be desirable if Dallas wants veterans on expiring contracts for roster flexibility.
If Dallas wants young talent above all else, Danny Ainge shouldn’t hesitate to include any of the 3 Jazz rookies, Ochai Agbaji or Luka Samanic in the deal.
Jordan Clarkson might not pair well with Kyrie Irving as they both need the ball to be effective, so I think he wouldn’t be included in the trade. But his salary for this year ($23.4 million) and viability as either a starter or sixth man would be desirable. If that’s the key to getting the deal done, Danny Ainge should make the move.
Luka would be under contract for 3 seasons with the Jazz, presuming they make this deal before the 2023-24 season begins. He has a player option for 2026-27, which he would most certainly decline as he will be quite underpaid by then, but the Jazz could extend him before that time as they are projected to have a lot of cap space, even as early as the summer of 2024.
What better way to celebrate the Jazz’s 50th anniversary season, than Danny Ainge cashing in on the biggest deal in team history and showing the rest of the NBA that the Utah Jazz are championship contenders?