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NBA Trade Rumors: Jazz's Joe Ingles 'A Name to Watch' as Rival Execs Discuss Value
December 24, 2021
The Utah Jazz may explore trading Joe Ingles ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline as they try to fortify their roster for a deep playoff push.
Zach Lowe of ESPN reported league executives have wondered what the Jazz could land by packaging Ingles and a first-round pick. The veteran forward is in the final year of his contract and has seen his numbers and role take a dip this season.
Trade talk has ground to a halt across the NBA as the league deals with a massive COVID-19 surge. Several games have been postponed, and most teams are fielding a bare-bones roster as they struggle to keep enough healthy players to play in games.
It's unlikely any major trades happen until the outbreak has been quelled.
Ingles has a $13.0 cap hit this season, which is a relative bargain even in his slightly diminished state. It's difficult to envision what type of player the Jazz could land in that price range who would be more impactful during the postseason.
Utah is currently third in the Western Conference with a 22-9 record, but its focus is not on the regular season. The Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert Jazz have consistently fallen short in the playoffs, having never gotten past the second round.
With Ingles standing out as more of a luxury than a vital piece at the moment, it's possible that the Jazz look for a player who breaks the mold in their steady offensive ecosystem.