Jazz Trade Conley, Vanderbilt, Beasley, NAW - Trade is Official

[Inigo Montoya]

Here is the trade from a Jazz perspective:

In:
Russell Westbrook
Damian Jones
Juan Toscano-Anderson
Lakers' 2027 FRP - top-4 protected (converted to a 2027 second round pick if it does not convey)

Out:
Malik Beasley
Jarred Vanderbilt
Mike Conley
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

EDIT: Looks like the Jazz also give two second round picks to Minnesota

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Source: https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/270362/Lakers-Acquire-DAngelo-Russell-Malik-Beasley-Jarred-Vanderbilt-In-Trade-With-Jazz-Wolves

[Inigo Montoya]

I don't like this trade. I find it very disappointing, to be honest.

1. We may have traded all those players for a total of one 2nd-round pick. When it's all said and done, the Jazz may have actually gave away Conley, Vanderbilt, Beasley, NAW and a net negative of one second round pick for nothing at all.
2. We didn't get any young talent:
*Westbrook will be bought out.
*Damian Jones is 27 and has a $2.5M player option for next season
*Juan Toscano-Anderson is 29 and is expiring
3. We didn't get enough draft compensation. We should have gotten an unprotected FRP for the sole reason of absorbing Westbrook's $47M contract and not even playing him. The 4 players we gave away were worth another unprotected FRP.
4. Feels like we could have had better deals out there that could have netted us young talent in return and some FRPs as well (though with more protections).
5. This deal has happened way too late. The best we can do now is fight for the 6th pick in the draft. Maybe the 5th pick if we're lucky.
6. If this is all we got, we could have been served better by keeping all those players and find a better trade for them near the draft, in the offseason or next season.

If I had to find positives in this deal, it's that:

1.The Jazz are finally tanking (still feels like a wasted tank unless we get lucky somehow)
2. This deal clears a lot of cap space a year early.
---

Before this trade happened, I wasn't sure what the Jazz will do with 3 first round picks in the coming draft but now I think they may actually use them all.

Maybe there is still some time for additional trades. We still have Olynyk, Clarkson and Gay.

Not moving Clarkson is a mistake imho. He'll either walk for nothing or sign an unfavorable contract with the Jazz, neither option is good.

[Cappy_Smurf]

Utah does not have to pay Westbrooks full salary of 47 million. I don't know the exact numbers, but my understanding is that the Lakers pay about 30 million of that salary. Somebody can correct me if they know better.

As for this being too late to tank, there are really only 4 teams we have no chance of catching.

Everybody else is chasing the play-in.

If you look at the percentages, there isn't a huge difference in finishing 6th worst instead of dead last.

If Utah finishes 5th worst, there's only 3.5% less chance of getting the number 1 pick.

If they finish 6th, only a 4% less chance at #1.

Since the NBA changed the lottery odds, there just isn't a significant advantage to tanking out of the gate.

The tank is very much alive in Utah.

[Crunch 99]

Ainge's subsequent trades after he knocked the Gobert and Mitchell trades out of the park have been unimpressive, but still have to give Ainge a good grade overall for doing so well on the two big trades.

[Crunch 99]

Deleted. Posted in wrong thread.

[Inigo Montoya]

Utah does not have to pay Westbrooks full salary of 47 million. I don't know the exact numbers, but my understanding is that the Lakers pay about 30 million of that salary. Somebody can correct me if they know better.

That's true. The Lakers paid Westbrook up until now, so the actual amount the Jazz will pay will be less than $47M. But in terms of cap space, the Jazz have to absorb $47M of cap space for one player, which is obviously very limiting (now that the trade deadline is about to lapse, it doesn't matter as much).

Still, we basically gave away 4 good players and 2 second round picks for what might end up being a second round pick. It's just bad value. We essentially paid 2 second-round picks so other teams will take on Conley, Beasley, V8 and NAW.

As for the rest of your post, I appreciate the optimism regarding the tank. Hopefully we'll luck out.

[red4hf]

Yeah, this is very underwhelming for the Jazz......

[edededtut]

After watching last nights game (and the mavs game earlier), I don’t think the Jazz can win anyone except maybe teams that are also trying to lose. Just awful basketball.

They’ll easily have at least the 6th worst record and unless orlando starts losing on purpose even the 5th worse.

I guess the market just wasnt there for Conley/Beasley/Vanderbilt and this was the best trade available. Clarkson and Olynyk must be traded also.

Westbrook wasn’t cut yet(?) so there could be something there also ? A pick from someone looking to unload a longer contract?

[ForeverRDjazz]

Utah does not have to pay Westbrooks full salary of 47 million. I don't know the exact numbers, but my understanding is that the Lakers pay about 30 million of that salary. Somebody can correct me if they know better.

As for this being too late to tank, there are really only 4 teams we have no chance of catching.

Everybody else is chasing the play-in.

If you look at the percentages, there isn't a huge difference in finishing 6th worst instead of dead last.

If Utah finishes 5th worst, there's only 3.5% less chance of getting the number 1 pick.

If they finish 6th, only a 4% less chance at #1.

Since the NBA changed the lottery odds, there just isn't a significant advantage to tanking out of the gate.

The tank is very much alive in Utah.

You are right and it's a buy out so not paying 17 million but maybe 10 million. Tank is alive and well. I'm a believer Victor is worth every player we just moved plus any picks we had to give up. I don't like the top 4 protected tho. Top 3 just in case. Lakers do a great job tanks they still lose that pick. I'd pushed all in on top 3. Last thing Lakers owner wanted to see in draw out lotto and win first pick and it goes to N.O. they needed to make a move. Jazz kinda let them off. Plus this Jones kid I think looks pretty good.

[red4hf]

Now that the Jazz are going to have cap space, I wonder if they're planning in re-signing Clarkson.......

[sunevisions]

The worst trade made by Danny.

The LAL Pick is not valued with the protection. The only reason Jazz do this trade is tank for 2023/24. We probably wait 2 more years… …

Really disappointed for Jazz.

[red4hf]

ESPN gives us an A- for the trade, for whatever that's worth.......

tidbit:

Nobody would ever compare Ainge's style as a decision-maker to that of former Philadelphia 76ers executive Sam Hinkie. Like Hinkie, however, Ainge has repeatedly shown himself to have the longest view in the room to his teams' benefit.

Besides the pick, the other benefit of this trade for the Jazz is increasing their 2023 cap space. Taking back just one player (Jones) with 2023-24 salary gives Utah $30-plus million in cap space this summer. Extending or re-signing Jordan Clarkson, who is likely to decline his $14.3 million player option, would cut into that. Still, the Jazz should have plenty of room to add salary in exchange for even more draft picks.

[zero24gravity]

I agree with those saying it's a bit underwhelming, and would have expected to get 2 1st round picks in this deal. Still, if there were better deals available, they would have taken one of those, so I'm not questioning what the market ended up valuing Conley/ Vanderbilt / Beasley.

I love what Conley brought to the team, and will miss seeing him out there. I was happy with the role Beasley & Vanderbilt played, as well. However, for me, the part of the trade that actually hurts worst is NAW seemingly being tossed in, as if he has no value other than salary filler. He fits the Jazz timeline, and in my opinion, showed well when he was on the court this year. Not to mention, he's a better facilitator than anyone left on the Jazz roster. Sexton will get the bulk of PG minutes, but as we all know... he's not exactly a facilitator. THT certainly isn't a point, nor is JC. Is Bolmaro suddenly going to get major minutes? What about if/when Sexton misses games? I fully understand that the tank is on, but I still feel they can't allow this to become an ugly 2nd half of the season, where they lose by 20 points game after game and the roster is deflated and unengaged. Fingers crossed they have another move out there to balance the roster a bit.

Also, I hope they give Jones an opportunity to play, especially since he's signed through next season, and Azabuke is absolutely terrible.

I'm ready for the tank, and wish our former Jazz-men luck. It's going to be a wild ride the rest of the way.

[AingesBurner]

I doubt we hold on to that Lakers pick, and there is a chance that the Lakers sign Irving through 2026 or 2027. The Lakers have no desire to be bad because they owe most of their picks to NO and Utah, while the 2029 will likely be traded. We should also remember that Vando and Beasley were salary filler in the Gobert trade, and Conley was probably viewed as neutral.

Is the pick as much as I wanted? No, but doubt we were going to get everything that we wanted. We need a high pick this year because we are starting to compete next year. If Dallas flames out of the first round, our high pick and others along with cap space has to be super valuable to Dallas. These trades are about Luka Doncic. Whether we would like to admit it or not, Utahs best chance of building a championship team is through getting European guys who appreciate what Utah has to offer.

[Jazzy13]

Im not sure why everyone is down on the trade. I think we did just fine.

Conley is turning 36 this yr.
Beasley is a 1 dimensional streaky shooter.
JV is good but doesnt fit our timeline and will get paid soon.

In 2027 Lebron will be 42 and who knows how AD will be.
Pick is protected top 4 and its highly likely to convey as a mid level first. Heck maybe even higher who knows.
Do we really care that much about the 2nds we gave up with how many 1st rounders we stockpiled?

The only thing I would do is not buy Russ out. Whats the point of helping another team on the cheap. Theres only 30 games left and most of the his salary has been paid.

[Crunch 99]

A potential downside to the trade that hasn't been mentioned is that adding Yoda's veteran leadership to the Wolves might outweigh losing D'Russ' scoring capability, especially when Towns comes back. Wolves might win more games this season than they would have without the trade, worsening the Jazz pick.

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[Hoops Addict]

The worst trade made by Danny.

The LAL Pick is not valued with the protection. The only reason Jazz do this trade is tank for 2023/24. We probably wait 2 more years… …

Really disappointed for Jazz.

Disagree. I trust Ainge....this was the best deal he could have made.

The rest of the year.......Mieesota will be worse ( good for us) and the Lakers will be better ( and have a better record than Utah)/

Let's hope Lakers are crappy in 2027......Lebrobn may be retired or injured by then.

The TANK is on!!!

[Hoops Addict]

A potential downside to the trade that hasn't been mentioned is that adding Yoda's veteran leadership to the Wolves might outweigh losing D'Russ' scoring capability, especially when Towns comes back. Wolves might win more games this season than they would have without the trade, worsening the Jazz pick.

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Disagree.......Conley is a downgrade to Russell IMO. Withoutn Russel their offense is worse.

[SoCalJazzFan]

The trade was absolutely underwhelming. I expected either an unprotected FRP or a protected FRP and a pick swap from the Lakers. They made out like bandits. They are now a playoff team and potential contender where before this trade there was some question as to whether they would even make the playoffs.

News outlets and talking heads that take the position that the Jazz did great are all referring to the overall package of picks that Ainge has acquired, not just from this deal.

That being said, if the Jazz can end up with a difference maker in this draft due to their #6-#8 pick, or if they get really luck with the lottery, it will all be worth it in a few years.

[SoCalJazzFan]

Does anyone know why Jones and Toscano Anderson were included in the deal?