The 2025 NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone. While actively involved in multiple deals, the Utah Jazz did not end up trading any of their expected big names - John Collins, Collin Sexton, or Jordan Clarkson. Whether they wanted better value or just because a deal could not be found may not be known for days, weeks, or months.
What is known is that the Jazz made some deals. And got a lot of draft picks, and at least one young player in KJ Martin that could stick around through the rebuild.
With that in mind, it seems like a good time to look back at Utah Jazz trade deadline history.
While the Jazz haven't been as active as many teams in their 50+ seasons, they have made some interesting deals that have been pivotal throughout the years.
Honorable Mentions: Gordon Giricek (2004), Gordon Hayward (as a 2010 first Round Draft pick that was exchanged in a 2004 trade with Phoenix), Jae Crowder (2018), and the Jazz 2024 deadline moves that brought the draft picks that became Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski.
#3 - Trading Mike Conley to Minnesota - 2023
On February 9, 2023, the Jazz were 27-29 and in 11th place in the Western Conference, just one-half game behind Portland for the 10th seed. Having traded away four of their five starters from 2021-22 during the off-season, many had expected them to be one of the worst teams in the West that year. Mike Conley kept things stable, and the emergence of Lauri Markkanen made for some good Jazz basketball up through the trade deadline.
But the Jazz didn't look like a team built for the playoffs; more like a scrappy bunch that would likely fall short and just miss out.
At that point, the Jazz pulled the trigger on a three-team deal, which sent Conley to join former Jazzman Rudy Gobert in Minnesota:
BREAKING: The @utahjazz are reportedly sending Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the @Timberwolves, and Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt to the @Lakersfor Russell Westbrook, a 2027 first round pick, and two other players.#TakeNotehttps://t.co/BZmEHoVgez
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 9, 2023
This was one of the biggest trades the Jazz had made regarding the quantity of players and picks involved. Even if they didn't keep any of the players they received, the 2027 Lakers' pick is still in their hands. The 2025 second-rounder they shipped out remains with the Timberwolves, and the 2026 one ended up with the San Antonio Spurs.
Conley was the most impactful player for his new team, and the Jazz waived Russell Westbrook, who has played for two other teams since (the Clippers and the Nuggets).
The Jazz ended up at 37-45 that year, for a 10-16 record after the deadline.
This trade completed the Jazz's push into their current rebuild, so time will tell if it was the right decision to deal Conley.
#2 - Trading away an icon - Deron Williams, 2011
After a well-publicized blowup during a game on February 9, 2011, between legendary Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and All-Star point guard Deron Williams, Sloan retired less than 24 hours later in one of the more shocking moves in Jazz history. While Jazz fans were hopeful at the time that Williams might continue with the team, it was not to be.
On February 23rd, the Jazz moved Williams to the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn) in a move that stunned the NBA world. Devin Harris, rookie Derrick Favors, a 2011 draft pick that became Enes Freedom, and a 2013 first-round draft pick (later to become Gorgui Dieng) would come to Utah in return for Williams.
Williams would have two productive years with the Nets, but heel and other injuries would take their toll, and by 2013-14, he was a shell of his former self.
Harris played a short time with the Jazz, while Favors had his best NBA years in Utah, first as a solid backup big man, then as a starter for six seasons from 2013 to 2019.
While the Jazz would sink from the heights of the Williams-Boozer era, the rise of Favors and Gordon Hayward brought the team stability and playoff berths, which ultimately carried over into the Rudy-Donovan era.
#1 - The final piece to the puzzle - Jeff Hornacek, 1994
The 1993-94 Jazz were 35-19 at the time of the trade deadline and fifth in a crowded Western Conference behind the Houston Rockets (38-13), Seattle SuperSonics (37-14), San Antonio Spurs (39-15), and the Phoenix Suns (35-16).
Hoping to avoid another early playoff exit, and to get another ballhandler in the backcourt, they made a bold move - trading proven shooting guard Jeff Malone away to the Philadelphia 76ers for guard Jeff Hornacek, previously with the Phoenix Suns.
From former assistant coach Gordon Chiesa's perspective, Hornacek was the final piece the Jazz needed and one that helped them reverse years of losing road records with his steady play. He even spelled John Stockton as the primary ballhandler for backup minutes, fixing a weakness the Jazz had struggled with for years.
The Jazz would go 18-10 after acquiring Hornacek in 1994, to finish 53-29 on the season, and had a strong playoff run that was ended in the Western Conference Finals by the eventual NBA Champions, the Houston Rockets.
The Jazz advanced to three more Western Conference Finals (1996, 1997, 1998) and two NBA Finals
(1997,1998) during Hornacek's time with the team, arguably the best era in Utah Jazz history.
And with that, the trade deadline is history, for 2025. Let's see what comes next for the Jazz, as they are well-positioned for the draft and the off-season.