What does the Damian Lillard trade mean for the Utah Jazz?

Damian Lillard is off the Milwaukee Bucks, but how does this major trade affect the Utah Jazz?

The Portland Trail Blazers finally got the trade they wanted, dealing franchise icon Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team deal that also included the Phoenix Suns. Notice that nowhere is the Utah Jazz mentioned. That’s because they weren’t involved. And despite that, they were outright affected by this trade.

The deal for Lillard, according to ESPN, goes like this;

• Milwaukee Bucks: Damian Lillard
• Portland Trail Blazers: Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Milwaukee’s ’29 first-round pick (no protection), and then swaps in ’28 and ’30.
• Phoenix Suns: Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson

Did the Blazers get enough back? It feels like the Jazz could’ve easily landed Lillard if that’s all the Blazers really got back for him. Ayton will be part of the team long-term and Holiday’s mostly there to get traded again, so you’d think the Jazz could’ve sent something over that would’ve piqued the Blazers’ interest more.

But then again, maybe Lillard signed off on going to Milwaukee. They are a team with grander aspirations for the 2023-2024 season than the Jazz. The Bucks are looking to be crowned Prom King, while, the Jazz are just hoping to get invited to the dance by someone.

So how does this trade affect the Jazz? Well, firstly, the Jazz didn’t get Lillard or benefit from the Lillard trade at all (yet). Secondly, it takes a possible trade target like Allen off the table. Allen was a guy who would’ve fit in well with what the Jazz are building and now becomes part of a really impressive, over-hauled roster in Phoenix.

Thirdly, it may have opened up a new trade avenue for the Jazz to pursue, as Jrue Holiday is exactly the type of point guard the team needs and he’s not likely to be long in Portland, if at all. The deal has been agreed to but it can be amended for a small bit of time before the league office approves the deal.

Or, the Jazz could wait a few months and make a move for Holiday nearer to the trade deadline.

Fourthly and finally, it makes landing Tyler Herro all the much harder. The Miami Heat really screwed themselves by not taking the Blazers seriously. They needed Lillard to have a shot to not just compete for an NBA title, but to make the playoffs. This is a team that wasn’t that good heading into the playoffs, and with so many players essentially being told “We don’t want you” by being included in constant rumors, that’s going to hurt morale.

They’re pros, sure, but they’re also human. And now that Lillard is bound for Miami, the Jazz will likely have to overpay to get Herro, unless Herro is so done with the situation he forces his way out of the city. Though, that doesn’t seem to be a thing that the Heat will allow to happen.