Following a first-round exit at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Utah Jazz decided enough was enough in 2022 by trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Doing so set off a chain reaction of several trades in the two years since.
Now, plenty has already been made about how well the Jazz made out with the Mitchell and Gobert trades. But what about the other trades they've made since starting this next chapter?
In summation, it's been a mixed bag, but it's not like the Jazz have exactly dangled the creme de la creme since trading Gobert and Mitchell. For that reason, they shouldn't be shamed for not squeezing the most assets out of players who weren't going to demand many assets.
Jazz trade Patrick Beverley for Talen Horton-Tucker
Okay, so technically, this happened before the Jazz traded Mitchell, but knowing all the rumors involving Mitchell that swirled before it happened - and the Gobert trade still fresh - the writing was on the wall. The Jazz were starting anew, and technically, the first domino to fall was a throw-in from the Gobert trade.
The Jazz had little use for Beverley and Horton-Tucker fit their agenda to get younger. There wasn't much risk to taking a flyer on him, and in the end, it didn't hurt all too much.
Horton-Tucker had his moments in Utah, but it was pretty clear he wasn't much besides a taken roster spot. Once upon a time, the Lakers refused to trade him in a deal for Kyle Lowry, and now he's betting on himself in the Windy City. Lifes comes at you fast.
Beverley had no place in Utah anyway, but Horton-Tucker was a bust, even if it hardly means a thing.
Grade: C-
Jazz trade Bojan Bogdanovic for Kelly Olynyk
After the Jazz traded Gobert and Mitchell, many believed Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, or Jordan Clarkson were next up. Bogdanovic was the next one to be cast out, which certainly sent shockwaves, but for all the wrong reasons.
Bogdanovic was one of the best sharpshooters in the NBA paid on a decent contract even if it was expiring. He'd fetch at least one first-round pick pack it would seem, but nope, just Olynyk.
If that wasn't enough, why did the Pistons want Bogdanovic? They were in the same boat as Utah around the time. Both of them lasted a season and a half before they found new teams, but this was among the oddest trades made.
Olynyk earned his stripes in Utah, coming within inches of joining the 50/40/90 club in his lone full Jazz season, but the Jazz didn't make the playoffs or the play-in. He's a solid forward who should be on a playoff team (why's he in Toronto again?), but if we're being brutally honest, he didn't have much of a place in Utah.
At least they capitalized on him, but more on that later.
Grade: C+
Jazz trade Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt & Nickeil Alexander-Walker for Russell Westbrook
The Jazz were surprisingly mediocre but managed to pull it off in a fun way. Unfortunately, this got in the way more than it helped, and they clearly saw it as such when they traded away a ton of players for Westbrook (whom they waived), Damian Jones, and Juan Toscano-Anderson (who they couldn't have cared less about). Oh, and a top-4 protected first-round pick in 2027.
Doing so signaled that they were leaning towards a rebuild, but there was more to it than that. For all the criticism directed at some of their other trades, this was a home run. The Lakers are stuck in NBA purgatory until further notice, and the Jazz are in a good position to capitalize off their dreadful state.
They did salvage the Lakers' season and salvaged the current Timberwolves by doing this, but it doesn't matter. The Jazz made out well from this because they hit two birds with one stone.
Grade: A+
Jazz trade Rudy Gay for John Collins
Although the Jazz traded a good chunk of their roster to throwaway the second half of the season, it seemed like they weren't sure where they were going. Trading pretty much nothing for John Collins seemed too good to pass up, especially if he could move the Jazz up.
Except he didn't, and it wasn't. Collins did not have a good first season in Utah. With two years left on his contract with over $50 million owed, he's an albatross contract when, in hindsight, the Jazz could have had open cap space to do what they want.
Collins wasn't a disaster, but acquiring him signaled they wouldn't tank, which many questioned even then. Since he has not panned out at all, the deal has looked all the worse in hindsight since it's not likely he won't be off the team until that contract expires.
Grade: F
Jazz trade Kelly Olynyk & Ochai Agbaji for Kira Lewis Jr. & Isaiah Collier.
Here, the Jazz made a similar trade that they did during the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline, only on a much smaller scale. They traded Olynyk, who didn't have a future in Utah anyway, and Agbaji, who wasn't really panning out.
The upshot, they got a first-round pick from a lowly Eastern Conference team. Sure, they waived Porter a few days later - Happy retirement! - and Lewis is still technically on the team, but they got a first-rounder - Isaiah Collier, no less - out of two guys who weren't long for Utah.
That's pretty savvy front office work. There's one elephant in the room, though. They could get a first-round pick for Olynyk but not Bogdanovic?
Grade: B+
Jazz trade Simone Fontecchio for Kyle Filipowski
Fontecchio was another nice story in Utah, but sadly, he didn't have much of a future there either. Though he turned himself into a shooter with size, Fontecchio was best used on a team trying to win. Why that was Detroit is anyone's guess.
The Jazz turned him into a second-round pick which turned into Kyle Filipowski. It's actually impressive how these little trades mid-season led to players who could very well factor into a strong youth movement in Utah.
Or they could turn into draft picks that lead to other players who could turn into a strong youth movement in Utah. Regardless, the Jazz turned nothing into something for Fontecchio, and that's actually pretty impressive all things considered.
Grade: A-