Could the Utah Jazz actually trade the pick they get for tanking?
By Chad Porto
The Utah Jazz tanked away their season essentially for three draft picks. Two in the middle of the draft, one at the end of the first round, one at the start of the second round, and potentially one in the Top 10. That last pick, the top 10 pick, isn't there yet. Technically. It is there but it belongs to the Oklahoma City Thunder. If the Jazz fall in the Top 10 during the NBA Draft Lottery, they get to keep their pick. If they don't, it goes to the Thunder.
The entire last portion of the season has been awful because the Jazz made it clear they're tanking this season to get those three picks. It would be wild if the Jazz just up and traded one or more of those picks, right? Well, KSL writer Ben Anderson doesn't think so. He thinks the team could absolutely trade those draft picks, namely the Top 10.
He believes that if the Jazz's pick falls between the fifth and tenth pick, that the team may be more likely to trade it, as opposed to if it falls in the Top 4. If the Jazz did land a top-four pick, which is technically possible regardless of their record over the last three weeks, the Jazz would have a s shot at some interesting players.
And if the focus is on drafting over anything else, then the Jazz would probably look to trade Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton. Yet, if they're sincere that they want to win as soon as possible, it's very likely the Jazz could trade one, or all three picks this offseason for some new players.
Preferably a bit older, but not so old they're not impactful. It seems wild that after the season they've had that they would turn around and just trade these picks away but that's entirely possible. Truthfully, depending on who they would target, it may even be the way to go. The Jazz have to strike now with Markkanen on the roster, and a major trade would make the man dubbed the Finnisher (because he's from Finland) a lot more likely to stick it out in Salt Lake City.