THE Utah Jazz They found their man. The rebuild that began in Salt Lake City just two years ago will center around Lauri Markkanen.
So, with the Markkanen extension in the rearview mirror, what’s next for the Jazz? According to Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, Jazz Should Bank On Atlanta Hawks Trae Young, All-Star. Pierce shared his thoughts on All the Smoke Productions with Kevin Garnett.
“You know who could add something to this team? You know who would be good for this team. If you take him to Utah, they’re going to be a problem, Trae Young. I don’t like him in Atlanta right now. They’re not going anywhere. If you send Trae Young to Utah right now? They’re going to be a problem with this team.” – Paul Pierce
Lauri Markkanen reinvigorated the Utah Jazz and just got PAID for his efforts 🤑
Should Utah look to add more high-caliber, veteran players? #UtahJazz #LauriMarkkanen pic.twitter.com/XMmbK2V1Es
— All The Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) August 7, 2024
Young’s name has been floated as a potential player on the verge of a team change. Even though the Hawks didn’t make it to the Eastern Conference Finals until three years later, it hasn’t been easy lately. Young is a dynamic offensive player, but I’m not sure he’d fit in in Salt Lake City.
Utah ranked last in the league in defensive rating last season, and its rearguard was a big reason why. Young doesn’t offer enough defensive staying power to justify the effort it would take to pry him away from Atlanta.
Also, I’m not sure he can complement current starting point guard Keyonte George. Yes, George could become the starting guard, but playing with a ball-dominant partner doesn’t bode well for a player who excels with the ball in his hands and not as a sharpshooter.
Despite Pierce’s suggestions, Kevin Garnett wasn’t convinced that now was the time for Utah to make a big move. Garnett suggested the Jazz should instead take a wait-and-see approach.
“First of all, they came out of nowhere and blew everybody’s mind. They have a true star in Markkanen – like that’s gone. I’d add veteran leadership, but I’d leave this team as it is. They’re going to get better as they get older.” – Kevin Garnett
It seems like the Jazz are more on board with Garnett’s ideas. The two big names that are being rumored to be available are Young and Brandon Ingram, but it’s still early in the rebuild to add another max-level player to the roster.
From that perspective, the Jazz need to assess their current situation before making a major investment in a trade. Let’s take a look at what the Jazz have in George, Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams before deciding how they can improve their roster via a trade.
Finally, adding an All-Star at this point would hurt the Jazz’s draft position in 2025. Sure, it would make the 2024-25 season more memorable, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. Jazz fans should expect player development and draft positioning to be the focus of the upcoming season.
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