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SALT LAKE CITY — Trey Burke has been traded by the Utah Jazz to the Washington Wizards, multiple media outlets reported Sunday. The Jazz have received a 2021 second-round pick in the deal.
The move was no surprise: Burke found himself out of coach Quin Snyder's rotation last season, even when the other options were relatively untested Shelvin Mack and Raul Neto. Despite being healthy, Burke did not play in Utah's final eight games.
This didn't make Burke or his representation happy. While the Jazz had tried to move Burke at the deadline, they never received an offer they felt would improve the team in the short term. Burke went on to ask the Jazz to find him a new home this offseason. They tried again on draft day with no luck. In the end, the high price of free agents this offseason made it clear that Burke was a relatively cheap flier, and Washington pounced.
Burke, 23, had shown off improved shooting earlier in the season, making over 40 percent of his shots for the first time in his young NBA career. But his defense remained solidly below-average, and occasionally his decision making hurt the Jazz when he was on the floor. The end result was a player who had a negative impact on the Jazz's scoreline, holding the lowest adjusted plus-minus of any player on Utah's roster last season.
Still, there's some hope for Burke's NBA future. Washington's getting a backup-level point guard at a great price, especially notable when players like Cleveland's Matthew Dellavedova just earned nearly $40 million in a four-year deal. Burke can get shots off with the best of them, and if he could improve his efficiency from outside and around the rim, he could be a valuable asset.
