Some big changes might be in store for the Utah Jazz this offseason.
As noted in Jazz CEO Danny Ainge’s end-of-season press conference, the team is expected to be aggressive in their pursuit to add some top-end talent to the roster and further accelerate the rebuild process. They have draft picks, tradeable contracts, and cap space, all readily available to deal for a star.
Usually, it’s difficult to find that caliber of player up for grabs on the market. Not many GMs are looking to ship out a top-20 player. However, amidst the latest Phoenix Suns‘ playoff meltdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves, there’s a chance the Suns’ front office is forced to shake up their roster to give this team any upside moving forward.
Enter latest trade proposal, and there’s a potential deal to be had. Andy Bailey laid out a bold framework that could net the Jazz with All-Star guard Devin Booker in exchange for a massive haul of five first-rounders and matching salaries:
UTA acquires: Devin Booker
PHX acquires: John Collins, Collin Sexton, 2025 FRP (via CLE), 2026 FRP (via MIN or CLE), 2027 FRP (via LAL), 2028 FRP (via UTA), 2029 FRP (via MIN)
The move effectively sheds out a chunk of the Utah’s draft capital to the Suns in return for Booker, who would immediately pair with Lauri Markkanen as one of the best scoring duos in the NBA.
Bailey later laid out the rationale for the Jazz’s side of the deal, comparing the move’s magnitude with Danny Ainge’s offseason blockbuster close to 20 years ago when he held down GM duties of the Boston Celtics:
“[Utah] would still have picks in each of the years in which they’re sending one out. And Booker would qualify as the kind of “big-game hunting” acquisition that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge talked about earlier this month. If they could pool together a few more of the assets they’ve built up over the last couple years to add a star big man, this summer could look a little like 2007, when Ainge added Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to Paul Pierce with the Boston Celtics.”
Booker would no doubt be a massive get for Utah, as he’s a 27-year-old superstar coming off another stellar season in Phoenix, averaging 27.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. While it could be a long shot to expect the Suns to have interest in trading him, it could give them the necessary assets needed to get this roster back on track.
“With this deal, the Suns would suddenly go from having no control over any first-round picks from 2025 to 2030 to having one in each of the five drafts after this one,” Bailed said. “They wouldn’t be able to improve the position of any of those picks by tanking, but it’s still a preferable situation to the one they’re in now, at least in terms of draft assets.”
Five first-round picks is a hefty package to ship out, and one that may be a bit hard to swallow for Jazz fans, but Utah would still have possessed ten firsts across the next five years. The trade allows the front office ample wiggle room and prevents them from totally breaking the bank.
We know Utah is open for business, but it takes two to tango. Even if getting Booker to the Jazz may be a pipe dream, expect this team to be opportunistic and diligent in their attempts to land a big fish this summer.
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