Utah Jazz: Surprise buyers
The Utah Jazz are winners of 15 of their last 19 games. They are currently on a six-game winning streak. Danny "deals" Ainge has all the assets to make all the moves he wants. He should do it. Go for broke.
Lauri Markkanen is a star and he deserves a proper running mate, or two. The Jazz is in a unique position where they have good salary-matching contracts, several interesting young assets, and a treasure trove of draft assets. Now is the time to make a move.
Would a Dejounte Murray or Keldon Johnson trade entice the Jazz? Would the Heat part ways with Tyler Herro? In theory, the Jazz could make one, two, or all of these moves and still keep Markkanen as the focal point of the team. The reality is that the Jazz can get creative and be a real force this season.
The Jazz shouldn't look to sell this trade deadline. They already have plenty of young talent and draft assets. The team is proving that they can already win with what they have. Instead, they should look to make moves that will better suit this team for a long playoff run. The Western Conference is wide open. Only six games separate first place and seventh.
The Jazz have an opportunity to buy low on impact players who can turn this team from a playoff hopeful into a playoff danger. Danny shouldn't squander this opportunity and should look to put this team back into consistent, deep playoff runs like they were used to in the 1990s.