SALT LAKE CITY – December 15 is an important date for NBA trading partners, including the Utah Jazz.
Thursday marks the date players who signed new contracts this offseason become eligible to be traded, lifting the moratorium on deals for a number of players who were free agents over the summer.
For the Jazz, that includes Collin Sexton and Simone Fontecchio who represent just two of more than 70 players being added to the existing pool of tradeable players.
What is the impact of the December 15 trade date on jazz?
As Thursday lifts current restrictions on Danny Ainge and Justin Zanik making deals, there doesn’t seem to be a pressing need or desire to force any moves.
Collin Sexton had a rocky start to his career at Utah averaging 14.3 points and 3.0 assists, the Jazz knew the guard would need time to adjust to his new role on the list.
Ever since the dust settled on Donovan Mitchell’s business, one thing has been bothering me.
Why was Cleveland so lukewarm on Collin Sexton?
I asked @cavs beat the writer @ChrisFedorand he offered terrific insight into the most recent @utahjazz guardian. #Take note https://t.co/40T3p8ltL1
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) September 16, 2022
After starting but all but 10 games during his four-year career with the Cleveland CavaliersSexton took on the role of second-unit point guard and sixth man for the Jazz while returning from a major knee injury last season.
The Jazz invested in a four-year, $72 million deal for Sexton over the summer and would likely prefer to give him more time to grow under head coach Will Hardy before making a decision on his future.
Fontecchio is also eligible for trade
Like Sexton, Simone Fontecchio also signed a deal with the Jazz over the summer, leaving the European professional leagues for the NBA on a two-year, $6.3 million deal in Utah.
Fontecchio played sporadically in the team’s first 30 games of the season, but is shooting 41% from the three-point line in his 16 appearances and showed encouraging signs of growth before an ankle injury that left him has been sidelined for the last three games. .
Simone Fontecchio’s clutch dunk with one second remaining knocked out the @warriors as the @utahjazz escaped with a 124-123 win. #Take note https://t.co/hL1gcsBeA9
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 8, 2022
The Italian rookie is a low-cost rotation player with a reasonable upside and could take on one of the backup positions depending on Rudy Gay’s future.
Fontecchio’s $3.2 million deal could be used to match wages in a multi-player trade, but there’s no reason the Jazz would seek a trade that includes the rookie otherwise.
Are there any players that jazz could pursue?
While the Jazz may not be looking for opportunities to trade their own players, Ainge and Zanik have positioned the team to be players in the trade market.
With a slew of draft picks, few long-term financial commitments, and the freedom as a roster to pursue the playoffs or return to the lottery, the Jazz have more avenues to tweak the roster than most. NBA teams.
For example, if a team like the Chicago Bulls decided they needed to make a big push in the playoffs and needed some extra backcourt help to make up for Lonzo Ball’s extended absence, Sexton could be a new trade target. available.
In return, the Jazz could ask for future project capital to pile onto their already overflowing treasure chest.
On the other hand, if the rumors are true that the Jazz were interested in acquiring Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins to improve the talent on this year’s roster, Sexton and Fontecchio could now be included in a trade to facilitate the deal.
You can check out the full list of players who become eligible to be traded in the link below.
NBA players eligible to be traded on December 15