After big trade, where do the Jazz go from here?

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz will now try to move on after Wednesday's massive three-team trade that left the locker room shell-shocked.

Thursday's trade deadline came and went without any additional moves — though buyouts are still a possibility for the newly acquired Russell Westbrook, as well as Rudy Gay — but the hammer had already fallen.

Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and two second-round picks are gone. In exchange, the Jazz got Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones, and, most importantly, a 2027 top-four protected first-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Did the Jazz give up too much? On the surface, it may appear that way, but Danny Ainge and Justin Zanik aren't in the business of just giving away assets.

Conley, as good as he's been with a young Jazz team this season, makes a lot of money next season, and was probably not seen as a positive asset thanks to his current contract. Vanderbilt is still young, has a good deal and provides value, but the advanced stats haven't been kind to him.

Beasley is a 3-point specialist that has been marred in a long cold streak, and his past legal troubles likely have him as a red flag for teams. Alexander-Walker, meanwhile, had an expiring contract that likely won't make much difference to any contending team.

In the end, the trade value wasn't there to get much more back — the Jazz had to even add two second rounders in the deal for Minnesota to feel good about paying Conley into next season.

Even if the return for three rotation players seemed a bit lacking, it still accomplished the Jazz's goals: They added a prized asset (there weren't many first rounders traded during the deadline) to a treasure trove of picks, got off some money for next season, and traded away role players that weren't going to be a part of the future.

Utah could potentially have around $60 million in cap space this summer, with a hoard of picks that would win just about any bidding war if a star becomes available. Oh, and the Jazz will be worse now, which will make their own pick better in a high-potential draft.

In the end, it could be a quick rebuild; Wednesday's trade helped further that along.

But that's the fantasy basketball part of the transaction, and this isn't a video game. Will Hardy and Co. can't simulate the end of the season and start from there. So where do the Jazz go from here?

"I still like our group of guys," Lauri Markkanen said. "We can get a lot better with this team. I believe in this team that we can do big things. We've just gotta get back on that practice court and get better."

It will mean a bigger role for Collin Sexton, who will replace Conley in the starting lineup at point guard. Ochai Agabaji will be pushed up in the rotation as a core member of Utah's future; while Talen Horton-Tucker and Simone Fontecchio could see an expanded role, as well. As for the newcomers, don't be surprised if Toscano-Anderson carves out a spot on the suddenly shallow team.

"He is a tough kid," said Jordan Clarkson of Toscano-Anderson. "Plays hard and does the right thing. He was around winning culture as well with the Warriors, so he knows what it is."

It's easy to see Wednesday's move as a white flag for the season. The Jazz are only 2.0 games out of the sixth-worst record in the league, which would give them a 9% chance at the No. 1 pick. But that's not what the player are focused on.

"Building good habits, trying to compete still, trying to win games, so we don't have minutes where you know guys are just kind of out there floating," Clarkson said.

Markkanen doesn't think that competing will be a problem. The scrappy team that surprised the league has been altered, yes, but enough of the team is still around to keep that same identity.

"Just the group of guys that we have here, it's gonna create positive vibes. We are eager to get back on the practice floor and get better together, so that's not going to change," he said.

Indeed, but a lot of other things did.

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