Jazz Mailbag: How Can The Jazz Use Drew Eubanks?

SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz mailbag where this week we look at the different ways the team can use Drew Eubanks this season.

Each week we will send out a prompt on X asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.

Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s mailbag.

Mailbag: How Can The Jazz Use Drew Eubanks?

Is Eubanks just human trade exception? Seems like a opportunity to flip him at deadline

— UJ (@Jazztimejones) August 13, 2024

Question: Is Eubanks just a human trade exception? Seems like an opportunity to flip him at the deadline.

Answer: First, allow me to define what a human trade exception is for fans unfamiliar with the concept.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, it is extremely difficult for teams over the second tax apron to make any type of trade.

Those teams can’t acquire a player making more money than the player they are sending out, and they can’t combine (aggregate) two players in a trade to make salaries match.

They are limited to either dollar-for-dollar trades, or can take back lower-cost players in these transactions.

Related: Utah Jazz Officially Sign Eubanks, Mykhailiuk, Juzang, Filipowski

A loophole these tax apron teams are trying to exploit involves signing their own players to overpriced contracts using their Bird rights, which allows a team to go over the salary cap to re-sign their own players.

By overpaying these players, these tax apron teams increase the number of players across the league they could acquire in a trade so long as they make less than the bloated salary they’re sending out.

But, since the Jazz aren’t a tax apron team, it’s probably not fair to classify Eubanks as a human trade exception, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be shopped before the trade deadline.

With only the first year of his two-year deal guaranteed, Eubanks is essentially an expiring contract as soon as he becomes trade-eligible on December 15, and could be traded by himself, or paired with another contract to match salaries in a larger trade.

Where Eubanks, and the recently signed Svi Mykhailiuk, get more interesting is how they can be used to acquire significantly higher-cost players in return.

Welcome to Utah, Drew ✍️ 💜

𝙳𝙴𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙻𝚂 | https://t.co/SXDAPRAyGV#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/pDei2c1aZg

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) August 13, 2024

Under the new CBA, teams like the Jazz who are at the salary cap but under the first tax apron can acquire a player making double the salary of the player they are sending out (plus an added $250,000), as long as the player they are sending out makes less than $7.25 million.

With both Eubanks set to make $5 million next season, the Jazz could trade him for any player making $10.25 million or less.

Mykhailiuk will earn $3.5 million but can be traded for a player making $7.25 million.

That could make Eubanks and Mykhailiuk attractive trade targets for teams steeped in luxury tax penalties who want to trim their salary while also acquiring proven role players.

Ultimately, both players are low-cost investments who can play rotational minutes, not significantly alter the team’s win total, and serve as flexible trade assets before February 6.

Which jazz player has the most probable path to playing in the 2028 Olympics? Or is it our 2025 draft pick?

— Glen Andersen (@glendersen) August 13, 2024

Question: Which Jazz player has the most probable path to playing in the 2028 Olympics? Or is it our 2025 draft pick?

Answer: The easiest answer would be Lauri Markkanen who is both the Jazz’s best player, and would unquestionably make the Finnish roster in any international competition.

The problem is that Finland hasn’t qualified for the men’s Olympic basketball tournament since 1964.

Collin Sexton is the Jazz’s second-best player, and though I wouldn’t entirely rule out an invite to represent the United States in an international tournament, the 12-man Olympic team might be the most difficult roster on the planet to make the cut, just ask Celtics star, Jaylen Brown.

Forgive me for stretching the boundaries of your question, but the answer might be Gabriele Procida.

What should @utahjazz fans expect from their new Italian draft-and-stash wing Gabriele Procida? #TakeNote https://t.co/UavNUoVIDk

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 7, 2024

The Jazz acquired the rights to Procida when they traded fellow Italian Simone Fontecchio to the Detroit Pistons, and though he’s not coming over this year, he could make the move to the NBA next summer.

Currently just 22 years old, Procida will be entering his prime during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles should Italy qualify, and was already featured on the 2023 Italian FIBA roster.

The Italians have qualified for three of the last seven Olympics, despite missing the Paris games, and with Fontecchio continuing to improve, they could be a threat to qualify for the 2028 games.

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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.

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