NBA Trade Rumors: The Utah Jazz could make a move for D’Angelo Russell or Kevin Porter Jr. in-season?
Being somewhat forced into a full rebuild, the Utah Jazz are in a good place heading forward into the future. They have a solid foundation of young players and are coming off an NBA Draft in which they added three more first-round picks with promise.
That doesn’t mean the Jazz isn’t going to make any further moves to solidify their roster heading into the season. In fact, you can probably make the case that it would be surprising if there wasn’t another move on the horizon for the rebuilding Jazz.
I don’t think we’re going to see Utah make a big play for Damian Lillard, James Harden, or Pascal Siakam, but there are other moves that could be there for the team to make over the course of the next few months.
Who could the Utah Jazz target in-season?
According to a Jazz insider, there’s a belief that the next move the team elects to do is to address the backcourt. Two potential targets that are listed as possibilities for the team to check that box are D’Angelo Russell and Kevin Porter Jr.
In their respective ways, a move for either of them makes a ton of sense, but only if Utah would be trading Collin Sexton in those same deals. And there’s a very real chance that would be the case.
Sexton didn’t struggle during his first season in Utah but wasn’t as productive as he was during his previous two full seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Maybe the Jazz is looking to move on and upgrade the position with this type of move. If so, it makes sense.
If the plan is the keep Sexton on the roster, I wouldn’t be a big fan of adding another player that’s probably going to take possible minutes away from talented rookie Keyonte George.
Even though it would be foolish to say that George could play a big role for the team this season, the Jazz can’t afford to make any moves that are going to end up hurting his long-term development.
The Jazz appears to be on the right path. They are still in the early stages of their rebuild and it remains to be seen just how competitive they’re going to be this season but their future is bright.