The Donovan Mitchell trade would make a perfectly fine ending to a wild 2022 offseason. After a weeks-long stalemate between the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks, he's now a Cleveland Cavalier, the Jazz rebuild is officially on and the Knicks are leaking their disappointment in the whole process to the media like a spurned ex posting on social media.
There may be a few more moves left in the chamber for Utah, though. With Mitchell and Rudy Gobert gone, there's really no reason for veterans like Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson to be there.
The Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs are either already in or could be in a similar situation. They're also seemingly angling for ping pong balls for the 2023 lottery, which should make Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and Jakob Pöltl available.
Oh, and of course, there's the whole Russell Westbrook situation. A return to the Los Angeles Lakers felt dubious even before the acquisition of Patrick Beverley. Both can say all the right things now, but Bev's presence in L.A. has to put Russ' future there deeper in doubt.
With all of the above sort of floating in and around the rumor mill, a number of three-team trade possibilities are in play, which is exactly what we're looking at here.
Hornets Go All In for LaMelo
Jazz Receive: T.J. McConnell, James Bouknight and a 2027 first-round pick from Charlotte (top-five protected)
Hornets Receive: Jordan Clarkson, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield
Pacers Receive: Gordon Hayward, Mason Plumlee, a 2023 first-round pick from Charlotte (via Denver), a 2025 first-round pick from Charlotte and a 2026 second-round pick from Utah (via Memphis)
Why the Jazz Do It…
Danny Ainge has driven hard bargains for his veterans throughout the summer, and it paid off in both the Gobert and Mitchell trades. If he can get firsts for Jordan Clarkson, Conley and Bogdanovic (according to ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Jazz feel each is worth a first), Utah will be among the summer's biggest winners.
James Bouknight was a first-round pick just last year, and though he had a dreadful rookie season, it's probably too early to give up on him. On a team suddenly loaded with young talent, Bouknight may have a better chance to prove that he's NBA-worthy.
T.J. McConnell being under contract through 2024-25 may not be ideal, but he's in for salary-matching purposes, and his salary that season ($9.3 million) is easily manageable. Plus, teardowns like the one Utah is orchestrating are often benefited by the presence of at least one or two veterans for leadership.
This deal is all about getting another first-round pick, though. It's a ways off and protected, but this is solid value for a heat-check scorer who's had well-below-average true shooting percentages in each of the last two seasons.
Why the Hornets Do It…
Three first-round picks, a player you drafted last season and two veterans is a steep price to pay, but this return should put the Hornets firmly in the playoff hunt.
Mason Plumlee, particularly as a passer, may have become a bit underrated over the last few years, but Myles Turner is an upgrade at the 5 and is six years younger. His three-point shooting would pull opposing bigs away from the paint, making it easier for LaMelo Ball to slash. And on the other end, his rim protection would be a welcome addition for a team that ranked 20th last season.
The next swap is having Buddy Hield in place of Gordon Hayward. On paper, Hayward is the more versatile player, but he's averaged fewer than 50 appearances per season over the last three years. And FiveThirtyEight's player projections estimates that Hield will be worth about three times as much as Hayward over the next half-decade.
He's one of the best high-volume three-point shooters in NBA history, and the more shooting you can put around LaMelo, the better.
And finally, there's the upgrade with Clarkson in place of Bouknight. There may be a bit of redundancy with him and Terry Rozier, but Clarkson's instant offense can put opposing bench units on the ropes.
Is all of that worth three first-round picks?
Charlotte already has its star (and potential superstar) in LaMelo. That alone probably puts the team's first-rounders for the foreseeable future outside the top five, and those picks are ultimately shots in the dark.
Instead of rolling those dice every year, this deal improves the Hornets at three rotation spots and probably makes them more intriguing for other difference-makers down the road.