The current crop of young players and not the 10th overall pick, should be the focus of trade conversations

The Utah Jazz have a lot of potential this offseason. Probably more this year than at any point in the foreseeable future. They will never have this many draft picks, this many young players with potential, this much cap space, and this many tradeable contracts all in the same year. The offseason of expediting the rebuild is now. 

The Utah Jazz could realistically add three rookies, two moderately priced free agents, and two big-contracted trade players, and reshape their roster around Lauri Markkannen; making this one of the more impressive rosters in the NBA.

And doing so in just one offseason. Yet, to pull all of this off, they’re going to have to trade players and picks to make this happen. Luckily they have plenty of picks to choose from, so many in fact that the money, not the picks, will be the issue the team will run into. As in, how are the Jazz going to match the salary?

That’s just one key reason why the Jazz should consider trading the likes of Taylor Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh, and Keyonte George as opposed to the current draft picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. The contracts they have will make trading for a guy like Devin Booker or Kawhi Leonard all that much easier. 

Now, you’ll have to likely attach some draft picks to any trade, but with the excess of picks the team has after 2024, it’s hard to say you’ll have a hard time justifying not putting in picks from 2024 in any trade package. If the Utah Jazz are sold on a guy in that top 10 spot, they should do what they can to hold onto that pick, as it seems unlikely that many teams will forfeit a massive trade haul for a pick in this year’s draft. Especially if they can get one pick in the next four drafts at least, plus a guy like Hendricks or George.

Now, you can also throw Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton into the trade talks, but the Utah Jazz need to keep some guys who can play supporting roles, and Kessler and Sexton can do just that. That said, if the deal for Booker is contingent on Kessler and or Sexton, you make that trade. Just as long as that Top 10 pick doesn’t trade hands as well. You have to keep picks and players to some degree to help build out your roster.