The Atlanta Hawks desperately need a center, and Jusuf Nurkic is a big man who could be available for a relatively low price this season. If the Hawks decide not to trade Kristaps Porzingis for a star, Nurkic is the best option for both teams (and the player).
The Utah Jazz have been quite blatant in their attempts to tank since trading away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Last season, the team posted a lowly 21% win percentage. But just when you think they’ve hit rock bottom, they found a way to outdo themselves – they posted a 2-21 (10%) record after March 1st in a sprint to the bottom of the league.
Jazz CEO of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge is one of the sharpest minds in NBA history. Do you really think he’ll let a generational draft class pass by without tanking?
Tanking is even more vital this season, as the Jazz owe the Thunder a top-eight protected pick this season. If the Jazz fall below eight, they will be handing the best team in the league yet another lottery pick to extend their dynasty.
Whether through injury, rest, or poor rotations, the Jazz will manage to lose games this season. One problem the team has faced in their race to the bottom this season, however, is that their rebounding is surprisingly solid.
Utah ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. While they are lackluster in just about every other statistic, their prowess on the glass is winning them games the front office would rather lose.
The Jazz currently hold the eighth-best lottery odds, with above a 40% chance of yielding the pick to the Thunder. For them to ensure the rights to their first round pick, they have to handicap their rebounding by trading Jusuf Nurkic.
A Nurkic trade makes sense for all parties involved
The most likely Nurkic trade would have the Hawks acquire Nurkic for Luke Kennard and two second-round picks.
This deal makes sense for the Jazz, who should be looking to trade every semi-productive player not named Lauri Markkanen or Keyonte George. Kennard is on an expiring deal, so Utah has no long-term concerns. If anything, giving them two seconds is an overpay.
This trade is also the most obvious way to compete if the Hawks decide to keep Porzingis. The Latvian center’s recent absence to illness exposed Atlanta’s horribly weak center position, which led the team to a dismal 3-11 record over the month of December. While trading Porzingis is an option the Hawks are currently considering, the truth is that he is the perfect complementary player for this team.
If the team is confident Porzingis will play more than 50% of Atlanta’s remaining games, they should keep him on the roster. While we will never know what is going on inside the training room, the Hawks outwardly have expressed nothing but the utmost confidence in their new star center. If their optimism is indeed the truth and not simply a PR strategy, trading the disappointing Kennard for a third-string center would be the most logical path forward.
Nurkic, of course, also wins this trade by having a shot at the postseason. He is also on an expiring deal, meaning he will relish the chance to prove himself as a playoff-caliber center after his disappointing tenure in Phoenix.
If Porzingis gets traded, the Hawks no longer need Nurkic. Barring a KP trade, however, Nurkic is the only center who could be available for cheap while adding a meaningful contribution to the team.