The Utah Jazz certainly weren't going to get directly involved in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes for self-explanatory reasons, but they kept their eyes peeled. Now that the Durant situation is resolved, the Jazz came out as winners because the pick Phoenix traded them at the deadline just tripled in value.
For context, the Jazz traded the Suns three first-round picks for the Suns' unprotected first-round pick in 2031. For even more context, those three picks the Jazz sent out will be the least favorable among those who finish between the Jazz, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In other words, whoever has the best record of those three next season will go to the Suns.
Utah basically exchanged quantity for quality, and now that Durant is no longer a Sun, that quality just skyrocketed. The Suns missed the playoffs despite Durant still being among the league's best scorers. They replaced him with an enigmatic, inconsistent scorer in Jalen Green, along with a solid role player in Dillon Brooks.
Adding the No. 10 pick for their troubles, the Suns have to feel... pretty disappointed with that return and pessimistic about their future. It's not their fault that the Durant era was a bust for them, but they had no choice on the matter, really. On the other hand, the Jazz have to feel pretty good about it because Phoenix just got worse and, much like Utah, will have to play in a cutthroat Western Conference.
There was already a case to be made that the Jazz would benefit from the Durant situation in case he was sent to the Timberwolves. Even though he will be a Rocket, this Suns asset could be very valuable by the time it turns into a player because Devin Booker will be in Year 16 by then on a Suns team that has no direction.
There's a very strong chance that could turn into the same asset Danny Ainge got from Brooklyn in the 2010s, which led to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and down the line, a title.
A lot can change in six years though
There aren't that many teams with a bleaker outlook than Phoenix right now. It's truly hard to see where they go, as they are pretty asset deprived at the moment, even with what Utah sent them at the trade deadline.
However, it will take six years before the Jazz will see any benefit from the asset, so no one knows what exactly will happen in such a long timespan. There's also the possibility that the Suns asset, because it's value just went way up, may not be with Utah by the time. It goes without saying that Utah should hope they've made some progress by 2031 because if they haven't, that's pretty sad.
If the Jazz progress into a contender, which they earnestly should in the next years, that asset could be dangled for either a superstar or perhaps the last piece of a title puzzle.
No matter what happens, Utah has to feel pretty optimistic about their future after what happened today. Durant might not be a Jazzman, but he might just play a role in their first title as a franchise not too long from now.