3. Trading Up To No. 21
The New York Knicks need youth, athleticism, and expiring contracts. The Utah Jazz need depth along the wings and postseason-caliber reserves who can complement the dynamic starting duo of Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio.
This trade would kill two birds with one stone, with Utah also receiving an early second-round draft pick to add a cost-efficient talent.
Alec Burks is a once promising talent whose injuries have derailed his career. Utah could gamble on a bounce-back season in 2018-19, but it’s close enough to the realm of the contenders to believe that it can make an immediate splash.
With Burks owed an expiring $11,536,515, the Jazz can replace him with a player who’s as reliable as any at the shooting guard position: Courtney Lee.
Jerebko has a non-guaranteed salary of $4,200,000, but he’d make sense for the Knicks as a floor-spacing big who can simulate Kristaps Porzingis’ offensive presence while he’s out. As for Utah, adding Lee and Lance Thomas would mean picking up committed defenders and respected leaders.
Thomas’ 2018-19 salary is non-guaranteed, which makes this a low-risk move for the Jazz, as well.
Improbable, but mutually beneficial.