NBA Trade Deadline 2018: The 20 best players available

14. Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz

Between Gordon Hayward’s departure in free agency and Rudy Gobert’s repeated run-ins with injuries this season, the Utah Jazz are quickly slipping out of playoff contention. With a difficult stretch of schedule coming up, they may decide to become sellers at the trade deadline, particularly since Derrick Favors will be an unrestricted free agent in July.

According to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz have discussed shipping Favors to the Chicago Bulls in a potential deal for Nikola Mirotic, who became trade-eligible on Jan. 15. Jones clarified that “nothing is done on either side, but talks are past the preliminary stage and [are] getting serious.”

Mirotic has the power to veto any trade unless the Bulls pick up his $12.5 million team option for 2018-19, but after the preseason scuffle between him and Bobby Portis, he’s long been rumored to want out of Chicago. Wojnarowski reported Mirotic is “intrigued” with the Jazz, as head coach Quin Snyder “has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.”

Whether Utah can get away with trading Favors for Mirotic without including a first-round pick is anyone’s guess at this point. But as Jones noted, Favors and Gobert “have issues co-existing in the same frontcourt…which means he’s emerged as an obvious trade candidate.” Unless the Jazz surge back into playoff contention, there’s little incentive for them to hang on to Favors past the trade deadline.

Next: 13. George Hill