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Utah Jazz Struggling to Make a Deal?
Utah Jazz Struggling to Make a Deal?
The Utah Jazz have been one of the most talked-about teams in the league this off-season. Utah wants a new direction. It's clear after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. And they fired coach Quinn Snyder. With a new front office and head coach, the Jazz were looking for a new direction. Trading for Lauri Markkanen, who looked great in Cleveland. And getting four first-round draft picks. To everyone's surprise, Lauri was able to make a jump to an All-Star level player. He has been averaging 23-plus points per game for the past two seasons. So this off-season, everyone was expecting some major trades to go down. Now that Lauri is in his prime at the age of 27, everyone expected him to move to a contender. A player who can move the needle like Kristaps Porzingis was able to do for the Celtics. Along with Jordan Clarkson, who has been one of the best sixth man for the past few years. For a team that is looking to rebuild, they have struggled to sell to other teams. The idea of Lauri Markkanen getting traded should be a meme itself at this point.
Lauri has been incredible for the past two seasons. I had the privilege of watching him live during his All-Star year. He dropped a 49-point game on the Houston Rockets. It was awesome to see how incredible a shooter he is; on top of that, he isn't so ball-demanding. Lauri can shoot from about everywhere on the court, which puts his market value high. But it seems like the Jazz are not getting the deal they want. As teams are looking to improve, it seems like teams are not willing to give up young players or depth. It seems to be one of the reasons why the Warriors have not made an offer that the front office would like.
The Golden State Warriors have lost Klay Thompson. Someone who was a key part of why the organization has won four championships. It seems like a slow death for such a legendary franchise. With Steph Curry and Draymond Green close to the twilight of their careers. Along with Andrew Wiggins, who has struggled to re-find his All-Star mojo. So, it would make sense for Golden State to make moves to secure another star to prolong the dynasty. He would be a perfect player to put next to their franchise star. Lauri can play off the ball, which fits the off-ball style that the Warriors have always played.
But, for some reason, the Warriors have been hesitant to make any moves. For a team with an aging superstar in Steph Curry, it is crazy for them not to trade for another star. Help him push for a fifth championship title. Draymond has also said that he will retire once this contract is over. So, the pressure should be on ownership and the front office to get their legends their fifth ring. Keeping a player like Jonathan Kuminga, who has taken four years to develop, Even then, he will never be an All-Star-caliber player. Keeping him makes no sense. Along with Brandin Podziemski, who had a good rookie season. He was a good off-the-bench guard. Now, he is expecting to be the starting shooting guard. Podz is a good player, but he will never become a star. And once he reaches his prime, Steph and Dray will be out of the league. It would be ideal for Golden State to make the move, but who knows what the front office wants to do? Also, with the Rockets eyeing Lauri, it might make it harder for the Warriors to try to get it.
The Houston Rockets are trying to compete this season. Since the time of James Harden, the Rockets have not competed for a title. They have been trying to find their identity since then. Houston has a lot of young guys, but none of them have turned out to be stars. Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün have not played well together. Reed Sheppard seemed to be good in the summer league. The Rockets will have to see who will be their foundation. If one or the other has a poor season, then they could find themselves with a new home in Utah. Lauri would improve the Rockets too. It puts them in a position to compete. With Ime Udoka wanting to win now, it makes sense why they would trade for an All-Star entering his prime. I don't see why the Rockets want to rush their development. But getting Lauri would be a good step.
The Utah Jazz must trade Lauri. He'll be a free agent next season. He could walk away to a contender if he gets the chance to play for a contender. So, the pressure is on Danny Ainge and co. to make moves that can benefit Utah's future. They can't afford to have him walk for nothing. The Jazz need to be quick on their feet. A deal from an organization needs to happen. The Jazz's future depends on moving Lauri. Not only is Lauri Markkanen on his last deal, but Jordan Clarkson is at the tail end of his career.
Jordan Clarkson has no trade value. It's crazy to think that Clarkson was the Sixth Man of the Year a few years ago. Now, no team wants to add him to their roster. The league has changed significantly. No more of the days of bench players like Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford taking over the offense off the bench. Now, teams are investing in sixth men like Peyton Pritchard and TJ McConnell. These players can play at both ends and be part of an offense. His defense plays a role in why teams aren't dying for him. The league is changing fast. Jordan Clarkson will have to transform his game to adjust. The hope is that maybe they can trade him in before the deadline. As guys like Keyonte George are developing, there is no room for Clarkson to get the ball. The Jazz can trade him this offseason or midseason. The Jazz has to make a deal or they could be screwed.
It seems like the Jazz are struggling to get a deal done. A team that everyone expected to dominate the off-season has remained quiet. No team wants to buy what the Jazz are selling. They have struggled so far this off-season. All there has been is talk. And talks mean nothing when there is no action. With contracts expiring, there is pressure to get a deal done. The Jazz are coming back with a similar roster. With how they're built right now, they can't stink all the way. Utah needs to make the deal for future assets and commit to being trash. If not this off-season, then next off-season the Jazz needs to move them quick through out the regular season.
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