UTAH JAZZ
Report: Jazz, Lakers, Knicks Talked Mitchell, Westbrook Trade
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers reportedly discussed a three-team trade involving Donovan Mitchell and Russell Westbrook.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the trade saw the Jazz sending out a significant haul of players, including Mitchell, while getting an extensive collection of draft assets and Westbrook back in the deal.
“The proposed three-team trade scenario included Westbrook going to Utah and getting bought out,” Scotto reported. “Utah would send Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks, a combination of two players, including Patrick Beverley and Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic or Malik Beasley to the Lakers.”
Sources: The Lakers, Knicks and Jazz discussed a three-team trade with Donovan Mitchell landing in New York, Patrick Beverley and another key Jazz player to the Lakers, Russell Westbrook on the move, and draft picks to Utah. More details on @hoopshype. https://t.co/AejGhQPKVK
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) August 5, 2022
The deal would be one of the largest financially in NBA history but would go a long way towards addressing the needs of the Jazz, Lakers, and Knicks.
After trading Gobert, the Jazz are in lose-now mode, and shipping out high-level rotation players like Bogdanovic and Clarkson would help them address their desire to lower the win-total of the team.
Here is what a potential Jazz, Lakers, Knicks three-team trade could look like.
What do you think @utahjazz fans? This is the loose structure of the deal @hoopshype and @MikeAScotto mentioned in their latest report. https://t.co/aZwhoPfvyQ pic.twitter.com/mppT0eof7L
— Jake and Ben (@JakeAndBenZone) August 5, 2022
Jazz Outgoing:
- Donovan Mitchell
Jazz Incoming
- Russell Westbrook
- Quentin Grimes
- Obi Toppin
- Miles McBride
- Immanuel Quickley
- 2023 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2023 1-18 Protected 1st Round Pick Via DET
- 2025 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2027 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2027 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Lakers
- 2029 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2029 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Lakers
Knicks Incoming
- Donovan Mitchell
Knicks Outgoing
- Derrick Rose
- Quentin Grimes
- Obi Toppin
- Miles McBride
- Immanuel Quickley
- 2023 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2023 1-18 Protected 1st Round Pick Via DET
- 2025 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2027 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
- 2029 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Knicks
Lakers Incoming
- Jordan Clarkson
- Bojan Bogdanovic
- Derrick Rose
Lakers Outgoing
- Russell Westbrook
- 2027 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Lakers
- 2029 Unprotected 1st Round Pick Via Lakers
Why For The Jazz?
The deal makes obvious sense for the Jazz who four young players from the Knicks to begin the team’s rebuild, plus seven future first-round picks to go with the five they’ve already acquired this summer.
The Jazz are already likely looking for more first-round picks in Clarkson and Bogdanovic trades, and getting unprotected picks from the Lakers is a better return than expected.
Paying Russell Westbrook $40+ million not to play is a steep buyout, but the goal is to lose games, and eating that salary is the cost of doing business.
Why For The Knicks?
The Knicks have reportedly been shy about matching the Jazz steep price for Mitchell and in this scenario, they hold onto three of the eight first-rounders that Ainge is rumored to be seeking.
They do add Derrick Rose into the trade to compensate, but landing Mitchell and still having a healthy treasure trove of draft capital is a strong platform to build on.
Why For The Lakers?
The Lakers would be perhaps the biggest winners in this scenario as not only would they move off of the albatross that is Russell Westbrook, but they would also get three proven veterans in Rose, Bogdanovic, and Clarkson back to help compete next season.
Giving up two unprotected first-round picks is a steep price to pay for those veterans, but serious draft capital will have to be included in any deal to unload Westbrook, and Clarkson and Bogdanovic would increase the Lakers’ titles odds significantly.
