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SALT LAKE CITY - December 15 passed by and that means basically every player in the NBA can now be traded again, and with that a whole new set of rumors are swirling about the Jazz.
Nothing has really changed for the Jazz's scenarios this season. They are currently in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference, have four good big men and have two of them with expiring contracts. However, as time goes along the rest of the NBA changes and could open new options for the Jazz trade markets.
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To simply break down what every other team in the NBA is thinking about the Jazz trading Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap here is ESPN's Marc Stein in the Daily Dime, "It's a working assumption in front offices all over the league that the Jazz will trade Jefferson or Millsap for a front-line point guard at some point in the next 10 weeks."
There are a handful of reasons why the Jazz would move one or both of them. One is to free up time for Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors, second is their expiring contracts which will make it tough to resign both so they might want value and another could be need at other areas that could be addressed using them.
The general consensus for who is more likely to be traded is Millsap. Both for his cheap contract of $8.6 million and his overall versatility that would allow him to fit into just about any system.
Not only is he brought up as a potential candidate Tom Haberstroh of ESPN Insider locked him in as a key piece for a franchise altering trade with the Lakers.
It would involve the Lakers, Jazz and the Bobcats, with the Jazz trading three bigs and getting one back.
This one would actually have the Jazz trading Kanter, Jefferson, Millsap, Mo Williams and Raja Bell. They would be getting their point guard of the future from Charlotte, Kemba Walker, who is in his sophomore year and would be able to be a key piece for the future, along with Gasol, nearing his end, and Ben Gordon.
Gordon and Gasol have two years left on their contract which totals $31 million. It is hard to see this happening for the Jazz especially, since they don't want to go into the luxury tax, they clearly like front-court depth and would suddenly have none behind Favors and Gasol and losing Kanter and Williams seems far-fetched.
But these are the trade ideas that the Jazz would have to have in order to pull off a trade to really improve their team.
The Jazz will probably wait to pull off any trades until it comes close to the deadline. Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! wrote about trade candidates and brought up Millsap, but implies that the playoffs are more important than simply making a trade.
"The Utah Jazz are in the playoff hunt and have two starting big men in the last years of their deals in Millsap and Al Jefferson. Utah also has two talented young big men in Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. Any big move by new general manager Dennis Lindsey, however, could disrupt Utah's playoff hopes."
As everyone knows it takes two to tango, or make a trade. Is there anyone out there that wants either player, probably, and has a definite upgrade at a position for the Jazz, that's tougher.
It's a working assumption in front offices all over the league that the Jazz will trade Jefferson or Millsap for a front-line point guard at some point in the next 10 weeks.
–ESPN's Marc Stein
If it doesn't happen it won't be because no one wants either player, there are probably offers on the table. David Aldridge of NBA.com wrote about it in his column this week.
"Utah is facing a logjam and luxury tax issues with its surplus of big men, and most around the league think that the Jazz will ultimately move Millsap and his expiring $8.6 million deal rather than Al Jefferson, who also has an expiring deal, at $15 million.
'They can't pay both of them, so I think they'll choose Jefferson, just because of [third-year forward Derrick] Favors,' one GM said, thinking Jefferson and Favors are a better match. 'I might be wrong, but one of them has to go.'
Other teams also are believed to be ready to make a deal."
There are lots of smoke and mirrors, but it seems like most everyone believes that there are several teams looking to make a deal. Again the bigger question is where does the upgrade come from with the other team.
The biggest point guard name out there would be Jose Calderon, according to ESPN and Yahoo! people expect him to be shopped and shipped. However he is 31 and even though he has a pass-first mentality he might not be a large upgrade over Williams.
After him the market falls to nearly nothing. Granted if some team wanted Millsap or Jefferson bad enough a deal could be made with anyone. There are maybe 10 untradeable players in the NBA, but trades can still disrupt flow.
Other names that have been floating that aren't a point guard include Kevin Love and Andrew Bynum. Either player won't help the logjam upfront, but could constitute the start of a very dangerous team on both ends. And chances are to move them it would take some young pieces in return.
But if the Jazz want some incentive to get something in return for their bigs, maybe this stat from ESPN's Power Rankings will help, "A stat that can't be ignored now that Trade Season is fully under way: Utah ranks No. 23 in defensive efficiency and allows 106 points per 100 possessions when Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap anchor the frontcourt. When it's anchored by Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter? Just 95.3 points."
Last year the same situation came up with Devin Harris, everyone thought he would be traded, but it came and went with nothing. Lindsey and Kevin O'Connor will have to decide how to play with their assets. Do they take a chance on a playoff push with the status quo, sell assets for the future or they could sell the future for a shot right now.
