The Utah Jazz shockingly attached a 2030 second-round pick to combo guard Collin Sexton to acquire center Jusuf Nurkić from the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Why or how negotiations reached that point is a jarring mystery. However, the swap may have more to do with incoming rookie Ace Bailey than the players involved.
After passing on Bailey in favor of Duke sharpshooter Kon Knueppel, the Hornets are inadvertently helping the Jazz develop the former as well as their young backcourt. Sexton's high-usage, ball-dominant ways don't align with Utah's direction, allowing Charlotte to steal him for pennies on the dollar.
Sexton's departure frees up significant minutes, shots and on-ball playmaking opportunities for a Jazz team lacking consistent scoring options. It's a vote of confidence in Bailey, fellow first-round rookie Walter Clayton Jr., Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George, all of whom figure to see plenty of reps. With that in mind, let's see how Utah's lineup shakes out after their odd yet somewhat understandable deal with Charlotte.
Projected Jazz lineup after Collin Sexton-Jusuf Nurkić trade: Where does Ace Bailey fit?
Position | Starter | Bench | Deep Bench |
|---|---|---|---|
PG | Isaiah Collier | Keyonte George | Jaden Springer |
SG | Walter Clayton Jr. | Cody Williams | |
SF | Lauri Markkanen | Ace Bailey | |
PF | John Collins | Taylor Hendricks | Brice Sensabaugh |
C | Walker Kessler | Kyle Filipowski | Jusuf Nurkić |
Nurkić doesn't project as much of a factor in Utah's rotation, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him eventually rerouted (or bought out) again. The Jazz frontcourt is already crowded between Bailey, John Collins, star 7-footer Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh. It's hard to see where "The Bosnian Beast" fits into this discussion (besides not at all).
How the Jazz proceed from here will be fascinating, but the Sexton-Nurkić trade suggests they're keeping Bailey in mind. As you can see, Utah still has some work to do if it legitimately wants to consolidate and let all the young bucks run free. Their stable of veterans offers worthwhile bargaining chips for contenders scouring the market for upgrades.
Utah continued its summer cleaning after landing Nurkić. They agreed to a buyout with microwave-scoring combo guard Jordan Clarkson and waived three-point specialist reserve Johnny Juzang the following day, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The Jazz also boast an established commodity with a coveted skill set on an expiring contract in Collins. Moving the high-flying, floor-spacing big man shouldn't be too difficult.
Moreover, parting ways with Markkanen doesn't seem like it's currently in the cards for Utah. Nonetheless, that could change once Bailey's on the court, especially now that they've begun to purge the roster. The one-time All-Star is a high-volume shooter because he's incredibly good at it, though that means fewer touches for the latter.
Do the Jazz consider leaning into this nascent youth movement? From both basketball and managerial perspectives, they certainly have incentives. Between Bailey, Clayton and Co., Utah has accumulated several highly touted prospects over the years, and they deserve extended looks. Plus, the Oklahoma City Thunder notably own Utah's 2026 first-rounder if it falls outside the top eight, so there's motivation to tank.