Grade the trade idea: Jazz finally embrace new direction while resolving Fox drama

The Sacramento Kings' shopping De'Aaron Fox has become the top headline in the current trading season. While many wonder who his next team will be, it would absolutely shock everyone if he suited up for the Utah Jazz. Don't worry—it's not going to happen.

But that doesn't mean the Jazz can't be involved. While the Fox drama could impact what happens to the Jazz at the trade deadline, it's possible that the Jazz could solve the Fox problem for the Kings at the deadline. Better yet, they could cash in on two of their trade candidates while they have the chance.

Yahoo Sports! Kevin O'Connor proposed a three-way trade between the Jazz, Kings, and Spurs that would resolve the Fox drama while giving the Jazz more draft assets for their troubles.

O'Connor noted that if there was a team that would say not to this deal, it wouldn't be the Jazz.

But would the Jazz say yes to this deal?

The Jazz would get a solid batch of players for Collins and Sexton while adding to their arsenal of picks. They would get lesser players for those two Jazz men, but those players either provide possible cap flexibility, could be part of their future, or could be traded down the line for more assets.

Of course, this "lather, rinse, repeat" process of trading players to increase draft capital (if that's how things go) may get slightly annoying over time, even if it may pay off big time in the long run. However, there's a bigger headline if the Jazz made this trade.

With Collins and Sexton gone, the Jazz would more or less embrace their rebuild in full because trading two of their best players and their most experienced veterans would further secure their lottery odds. Sexton and Collins have been exemplary as teammates, have produced when the Jazz have called on them, and yet have not gotten much in the way of the tank.

Trading them for players who aren't as good as them allows the Jazz to avoid risking winning more games, which helps their chances at a franchise talent like Cooper Flagg come draft time. It would also give some of their rising players, like Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski, more playing time, which is exactly what they need since both look like they could be permanent fixtures in Utah's rotation.

There's one last tidbit to go over.

Before the Fox drama, it was reported that the Kings still want Collins, so if that's true, maybe this is the deal that gets it done. Sacramento loses star power in Fox, but Sexton is still an excellent scorer, and Collins gives them some quality frontcourt depth. The downtick in individual talent could be made up in the holes Collins and Sexton would fill.

This is all being brought up to explain that trading them separately might not get the Jazz much, but trading them together to a team that, from the looks of things, intends to push for the playoffs again, for two first-round picks could be the best outcome they might hope for.

Grade: B+