NBA Draft Rumors: Utah Jazz trading to No. 2 would cost Derrick Favors, No. 5 pick?
By Bryan Rose
On Tuesday morning, news broke suggesting that the Utah Jazz, big fans of Duke’s Jabari Parker would likely entertain the thought of trading up to the No. 2 overall pick, currently held by the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Entertaining the thought might be as far as they get as according to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the minimum price to obtain such a pick would not only cost the Jazz their own top five selection but the addition of power forward Derrick Favors as well.
“I think it would cost them, at a minimum, Derrick Favors and the No. 5 pick. And they’d have to take back Larry Sanders. The Sanders contract isn’t a bad one if you think this year’s issues off the court have been resolved. He’s a great shot blocker and rebounder. But that’s a pretty high cost to move up.”
Of course, bringing back Larry Sanders would soften the loss of Favors, though Sanders (talented as he is) has proven himself to be a bit of a knucklehead and recently signed a four-year, $44 million dollar extension which begins this coming season.
Taking all of that into consideration, that’s a hefty price to move up three picks, though if the Jazz are that enamored with Jabari Parker it’s the only way they’re likely assured of drafting him as the Bucks are said to have strong interest in the forward.
If Utah could guarantee that Sanders would stop the antics and be the player so many hope he could be, it might be a more plausible scenario but now, it seems to be nothing more than wishful thinking.