The Utah Jazz have been going through a good stretch for their franchise. They have made the playoffs the last five years in a row and are favorites to get back again this year, at minimum.
However, they have not been able to move further than the second round. The Jazz have a good squad, a great first option in Donovan Mitchell, but there is something missing every time. With these two potential trade candidates, Utah might be on the path to contention sooner than later.
The Jazz have all their starters set, as they have resigned Mike Conley this summer and committed to him long-term. They have also added Hassan Whiteside as a player who will be a great backup to Rudy Gobert. Joe Ingles is in place for another year and they have Jordan Clarkson signed for at least two more years, just like Bojan Bogdanovic. Yet, there are certain rotational holes that need to be filled out.
Thus, the best two potential Jazz trade candidates are Cory Joseph and PJ Washington.
Jazz trade candidates
PJ Washington
This might be a tall task, as the Charlotte Hornets do value PJ Washington. However, being the Hornets means being an organization that is always in some sort of disarray and the Jazz might be able to sneak this one. Washington is a potentially great compliment power forward for this Jazz team – and for a small price.
He is still on his rookie-scale contract, meaning that if he is traded to the Jazz, they would have him for this and next season. The cost of the contract would be around $10 million over two years. The Jazz would also have a whole year to see how Washington fits on the team before making any decisions on resigning.
Washington is a young, up-and-coming big-man with a high ceiling. It is tough to look at his numbers, due to the fact that the Hornets were not in any major playoff contention over the last two years. Thus, Washington had a ton of space to put his numbers up artificially. What the Jazz should look at is his skill set, which is very good for both the Jazz and the modern NBA.
With Washington, the Jazz would have two capable three-point threats on the wings. This is very important for two major reasons. With Gobert in the middle, any power forward that relies on interior scoring does not have a ton of space to operate. Secondly, with an elite slashing guard in Donovan Mitchell, having a floor-stretching power forward would leave acres of space in the paint. Washington, simply said, makes the most sense and is actually a realistic option.
Cory Joseph
Making this move would be only for one reason – to fully unleash Jordan Clarkson. Right now, there are three NBA quality guards on the Jazz roster. Conley and Mitchell as starters, and Clarkson as the backup. The problem is that Clarkson is tasked with creating for himself and for others when on the court. With Corey Joseph, that changes.
Clarkson would be able to fully concentrate on scoring, his primary job on the court, while Joseph would be the playmaker. With Joseph entering his 11th season in the league, the Jazz would get an elite backup point guard. The Canadian veteran also has valuable experience, making the finals and winning the championship with the Spurs in 2014. Additionally, he has a ton of postseason experience through his stint in Toronto.
It is true that Joseph just signed a new deal, keeping him in Detroit for the next two years. However, the Pistons are going through a rebuild and their future star is Cade Cunningham, a point guard. Also, Joseph is probably more interested in a playoff team, where he can be the veteran help that team desires. Of course, for this deal to happen, the Jazz will need to wait until mid-December, when he can be traded.
Joseph would be joining Clarkson, Ingles, Whiteside, and Rudy Gay as the second unit for the Jazz. Looking at it now, this looks very good and the starters can be sure that these five players will hold the line. With the former San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, and Sacramento Kings player, that lineup gets a capable shot caller and someone who can get everyone involved. There is some offensive talent, with Gay, Ingles, and Clarkson, and with Joseph not soaking too much of the offense, he can make sure they are all getting their fair share of shots.
The Jazz might be strong, but this roster still needs improvements. The Lakers and the Clippers are tough, while the East has the Nets and the Bucks fighting for a spot in the finals. All of these teams are objectively stronger, roster-wise, than the Jazz, but with a few adjustments, Utah might be right there.