The Utah Jazz could have an opportunity to get involved in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade and be better because of it. As teams around the league prepare to make their offer for Antetokounmpo, the Jazz should be looking at a potential deal differently. Rather than trying to land Antetokounmpo, they should want to be a third team.
Perhaps the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, or whoever trades for Antetokounmpo will be able to make a standard, two-team trade. But maybe that won’t be as easy as it sounds. And if the two sides need a third team to get involved, the Jazz could be in a perfect position to do that.
They may even improve because of it.
Jazz could be a third team in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
Utah is in a weird spot. They are tanking, but it’s clear that they are heading in the right direction, as they have some very talented young players poised to lead the next era of Jazz basketball.
Keyonte George has taken a major leap this season, and Ace Bailey is only a rookie, but he has already shown flashes of what he could be down the line.
Despite all of that, the Jazz aren’t in a position to compete for a playoff spot this year. So, why not get involved in an Antetokounmpo trade as a third team, add some picks or expiring contracts, and go from there?
For example, what if the Knicks try to trade for Antetokounmpo? The Milwaukee Bucks will want a haul, and they may not want to keep hold of some of the players they get back.
Or what if they get a guy like Karl-Anthony Towns, flip him to a third team, and then that third team has assets the Bucks don’t necessarily want? There are plenty of chances to get in on the action.
What if the Memphis Grizzlies wanted to jump in on an Antetokounmpo trade to try to get Karl-Anthony Towns? Could the Jazz somehow end up with Santi Aldama?
What about the Golden State Warriors? Would there be a world where Utah could snag Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski?
Maybe Utah could even explore the option of adding a guy like Bobby Portis, who could probably be flipped over the summer for decent value.
The point is, no matter what teams get involved in a potential deal for Antetokounmpo, the Jazz could be uniquely positioned to benefit as a third team.
It’s certainly something to keep an eye out for.