Can the Utah Jazz find a path to NBA greatness?

Step 3: Fill in the Cracks

In the modern NBA, assets such as young players, draft picks, and expiring contracts are not only valuable to their current teams but can be the object of desire for other teams looking to make a few moves. The league's best players are seemingly being traded every year, and consistently demanding a king's ransom of assets from the recipient.

For a team that is one or two pieces short of legitimate title contention, a great way to find those missing pieces is through the trade market. Denver was on the brink of a Finals berth for years until they filled a need by trading for Aaron Gordon. Milwaukee wasn't going anywhere until they grabbed Jrue Holiday from New Orleans. The Jazz are a fringe play-in team right now, so making a big trade wouldn't make sense this year. Patience with your progression is very important, so you will know what deficiencies need to be corrected when the right trade becomes available.