Woj: Jazz Trade Derrick Favors, 1st-Round Pick to Thunder for 2nd-Round Pick

The Utah Jazz reportedly traded veteran center Derrick Favors and a future first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday in exchange for a future second-round pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Utah creates financial flexibility with the deal by removing Favors' three-year, $29.2 million contract from its books. He's set to carry a $9.7 million cap hit for the 2021-22 season.

The 30-year-old had a solid season for the Jazz in 2020-21, averaging 5.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and a block per game in 68 total appearances. He was relegated to a role off the bench and appeared in just 15.3 minutes per contest, serving as a solid backup for defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert.

The Jazz had a solid +2.6 net rating with Favors on the court, per NBA.com, which is a pretty solid mark for a backup center, especially one backing up the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. 

Financial considerations may have come into play, however, given he was due $9.7 million this upcoming season and has a $10.1 million player option for the 2022-23 season he'll almost assuredly exercise. 

For the cap-strapped Jazz, using that chunk of money in other areas of the roster apparently became the priority. 

They'll now likely roll with youngster Udoka Azubuike as the backup center or further address the position in free agency. Favors is something of a Jazz legend, playing 10 seasons for the team. But his time ran out in Utah. 

Meanwhile, Favors will likely be penciled in as OKC's starting center at this stage of the offseason.