The Utah Jazz are good enough to make the playoffs as is, but are they good enough to make some noise in the playoffs? It's hard to say, but what isn't hard to say is that this team does need some help. They may be able to win some games with the roster they have, but each game they win will be seen as an upset in the playoffs. This means they'll be a team battling uphill all playoffs long.
And upsets are only sustainable long-term if you have a lot of help and luck. So the Jazz need to improve their roster in order to really give them a shot in the postseason. That means a trade. We're not talking about making a trade for Kevin Durant or anyone like that.
No, we're talking about real, manageable moves, that would improve the roster and make the Jazz a force to play. But what do they need help with? Let's discuss.
A defensive minded center off the bench
Firstly, Walker Kessler needs to start. The starting unit gives up far too many points as is, and that would be resolved by moving Kessler back into the starting lineup. The problem arises with who fills in for him off the bench. Omer Yurtseven isn't given a lot of moments for one reason or another, and John Collins is the whole reason Kessler needs to be back in the starting five to begin with. Getting a second defensive-minded center to back up Kessler is the goal.
A more physically gifted power forward to compliment the starting five
John Collins has been a nice asset offensively but much like Jordan Clarkson, whatever Collins can give you offensively, he is more problematic defensively. If he gives you two points, he'll give up three. That's the issue with him in the starting five.
He's not a bad player, but at his price point, and with his issues on the other end of the court, you almost have to consider trading him just to try and improve his spot in the lineup. It'd be great if you could land a defensive-minded power forward and move Collins to the bench, but any player worth happening who's better than Collins will have to cost as much if not more than him.
A more consistent three and D option off the bench
Simone Fontecchio has shown to be a viable starter. There are better options than him, but not at the price that they'd cost to get. Behind him, however, you have Ochai Agbaji, who has not been that good this season. His shot isn't falling as we'd hope, and while his defense is solid, if you can find someone who can shoot better than Agbaji can while playing defensively as well as he can, you have got to make that move.