The Utah Jazz were definitely active during the NBA trade deadline, just not in the way that many expected. They were labeled sellers, and technically sold a bit, but not the assets everyone thought they would. It's fair to say that this was not among the more epic Jazz trade deadlines.
The Jazz moved some players around, but they are essentially the same team as before. That might frustrate some fans, and that's an entirely separate topic. For now, let's examine the four moves the Jazz made and how they compare.
4. Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino & 2 second-round picks in Luka Doncic trade
Technically speaking, this was the most high-profile trade the Jazz made; seeing how the Dallas Mavericks actually trading Luka Doncic may go down as the craziest trade in NBA history. But it gets even crazier on the Jazz's front.
It came out a short time later that the Jazz didn't fully know what they were getting themselves into. They just heard what was being offered to them and took it without knowing that agreeing to it was the last piece of the Doncic trade puzzle.
Because the Jazz have since waived Hood-Schifino, it's fair to suggest that they probably would have thought twice about doing it. Or, at the very least, asked for a first-rounder from the Lakers. It's likely that if they said no, some other team would have said yes, but man this trade really hurt the value of that pick the Lakers owe them two years from now.
3. Jazz trade Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills for PJ Tucker, Mo Bamba & a second-round pick
This was the Jazz's least talked-about trade at the deadline. Simply put, they traded Eubanks, a rotation center, along with Mills for two guys they didn't plan to keep anyway and got a second-round pick for their troubles.
No harm, no foul. Besides, with Eubanks gone, Kyle Fillipowski's role increases. Eubanks getting traded seemed inevitable, though it wasn't clear what his value was. What the Clippers gave up was likely the best the Jazz can do.
2. Jazz acquire KJ Martin & second-round pick in Jimmy Butler trade
Know what's amazing? The fact that the topic of what the most high-profile trade the Jazz were involved in at the 2025 NBA trade deadline is actually debatable. In any other year, the highest-profile trade would unquestionably be that they got involved in the Butler trade. The only reason it isn't is because of the pure lunacy of how things played out with Doncic.
But, we digress. Originally, the Jazz got Dennis Schroder from this trade, but revised it to get another second-round pick (who would've thought?), but also got a solid young player in Martin. Whether the Jazz plan to develop him or use him in another trade is up in the air.
The Jazz added to their draft capital and got another potential trade asset out of it, and all it cost was the gone-but-not-forgotten PJ Tucker.
1. Jazz trade three-first round picks to Phoenix for unprotected 2031 Suns first-round pick
Yeah, this one was pretty obvious. This is definitely one of the more genius trades Ainge could have made. He took advantage of the Suns' desperation to improve their current standing. With the deadline passed, it looks even better.
Though Phoenix used one of the picks the Jazz traded to them, it was primarily to get Jusuf Nurkic off their payroll. Now there's a lot of confusion from the Durant-Suns' situation, and all the Jazz can do from this is smile.
This appears to the Jazz's best trade asset until further notice. There's a solid chance Phoenix will be a bottom-dweller by the time the new decade rolls around. The Jazz can use that to draft their next face of the franchise or trade for their next face of the franchise.
The Jazz's trade deadline was like a movie that spent its entire runtime subverting expectations entirely. It may not have been what the people expected, but that doesn't make it bad. However, don't be surprised if the fanbase's response to this is as divisive as it gets.