You wouldn't think the terms "Utah Jazz" and "Giannis Antetokounmpo" would be put in the same sentence. However, Antetokounmpo mentioned in passing that some changes could be in order if the Milwaukee Bucks don't make some noise this season.
"Yeah, if we don’t win a championship, I might get traded. Yeah, this is the job we live. This is the world we’re living in. It’s everybody," Antetokunmpo told The Athletic's Sam Amick.
Antetokounmpo acknowledged that such a scenario is a tough reality. If a supposed contender doesn't make any progress, there comes a time where it's not worth keeping it all together.
“On a serious note, this is the job,” Antetokounmpo told Amick. “It’s the profession that we’re in. At any given moment, if you don’t succeed, that might be it for us. It was the same way with the previous coaching staff, and the year before, the players before. … If you don’t do a good enough job, you’re out.”
For the record, if an all-time player in his prime like Antetokounmpo becomes available, every single team in the NBA, no matter where they are, would line up for his services. In the Jazz's case, they benefit from the fact that they have a lot of assets to offer for him, and even have a good supporting cast surrounding him if they pulled a trade off.
This is all hypothetical, but the Jazz have plenty of assets to offer Milwaukee if the two-time MVP ever hits the market. Here are the five best assets the Jazz can offer for the Greek Freak.
5. Timberwolves/Cavaliers first-round picks
To some extent, this is cheating. However, those picks will all have equal value because those are two of the NBA's top 10 teams. All it takes is an injury or two to some of their best players, and bam, suddenly, any of them become the Jazz's best asset.
That doesn't sound believable, but look at what the rewards the Thunder are reaping from the Paul George trade five years later. These assets are already pretty valuable now, but they suddenly get so much better if either (or both) of those teams have a season from hell.
4. Cody Williams
It is true that Williams isn't proven, but he is the No. 10 pick from the 2024 NBA Draft, and the common consensus with him was that he was a steal. He didn't light the world on fire during the preseason, but he didn't have to.
Williams will likely be integrated into the NBA slowly, as the Jazz likely won't start him when the 2024-25 season begins. However, he has shown his potential as a jack-of-all-trades wing who could help aid the foundation of a bright future.
3. Walker Kessler
Kessler was in trade talks throughout the offseason, and the Jazz were not forking him over for a good reason. Outside of that embarassment that was their preseason loss against the Trail Blazers, Kessler has given multiple indications that he should returning to form this season.
If that's the case, he's easily one of the NBA's best rim protectors still at a young age. That's a rarity. It would take more than just him to build a winner, but he impacts so much defensively by himself. Having that could set up a franchise for years to come.
2. Keyonte George
George easily stood out among the Jazz's rookies last season, even if his numbers weren't efficient. The scoring is definitely there, and he's got two areas to level up - that he can score without taking too many shots and that he can make plays on top of all that. He showed signs in preseason that he's quite aware of that.
George didn't light the world on fire like Donovan Mitchell did during his rookie season. If he turns into something, he may have a journey similar to Gordon Hayward in Utah. However, he's an electrifying player with plenty of promise.
1. 2027 Lakers pick (Top-4 Protected)
While the Cavaliers and Timberwolves picks could be hypothetically be better, the Lakers pick the Jazz own is a golden asset. LeBron James only has so much left in the tank. Even if he doesn't retire by 2027, he won't be what he was. The Western Conference will be a dogfight just as it always has, and since the Lakers are low on options, they project to get much worse.