The Jazz would dream of bringing in … Luka Doncic

Will the failures of the Mavs in the quest for an NBA title tire Luka Doncic? In any case, some franchises remain hopeful of seeing the nugget set sail in the future. According The Athleticthe Jazz would be very interested.

On vacation since April 10, Dallas has time to think about its future and how best to surround Luka Doncic. Conference finalists last year, the Mavs fell from above in 2023 by missing the Playoffs altogether. A huge fiasco which confirms the difficulties of the franchise to permanently integrate the club of the favorites for the NBA title. When you know the competitiveness of a Luka Doncic and his thirst for victory, it is impossible not to imagine the Slovenian brooding over these past failures.

As soon as Dallas was eliminated, rumors flew, ESPN relaying fears within the organization about a possible trade request from Luka Doncic in 2024. The prodigy had quickly extinguished the fire by explaining that he was happy in Dallas but the question remains: how long Lulu will he wait before having a real chance to play the title?

The more the Mavs fail to prove themselves legitimate in the quest for Larry O’Brien, the more insistent the rumors will be. Today it’s John Hollinger de The Athletic which relays an interest in Jazz for Doncic.

New for @TheAthleticNBA – went back and forth with our @Alex__Schiffer on the state of the Nets, their options for this offseason, what do about the draft, and what outcomes might qualify as a successful summer.https://t.co/8RREhfqgc5

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) May 4, 2023

“My sources tell me that Utah in particular is keeping a very interested eye on Doncic’s situation, even the Nets’ offer for Doncic – the first four picks from Phoenix and one from Philadelphia, plus the equivalent salary of any player other than Bridges to make the deal work – is probably grossly insufficient.”

Why does this seem very unlikely?

Already because Dallas closes the door not twice but five times for its star. To crack the Mavs, Luka would have to himself put pressure on his management by asking for his trade. At the moment T, it’s not the trend. And even then, we can imagine that Mark Cuban will ask for a royal offer, taking advantage of the interest of almost every team in the League to raise the stakes. Above all, Dallas is in a strong position as Doncic’s current contract runs until… 2026 (and 2027 if he activates his option).

On the player side, one can also wonder if Luka’s preference would go to Utah as part of a departure. With his superstar status, it would seem logical to see the native of Ljubljana ask to join a big market, more attractive to bring stars to his side and more lucrative on the business part. Still, in the event of a forced departure, it is Dallas who would have the last word on the destination.

What are Utah’s strengths in this case?

If Salt Lake City is not the dream destination for an NBA star, the Mormon franchise still has cards up its sleeve in the context of a possible auction for Luka Doncic. Already, the workforce has been cleaned of its large salaries. Now All-Star, Lauri Markkanen will only receive 18 million per year over the next two seasons, a friendly price. It remains to be seen how much Jordan Clarkson would ask for an extension this summer, but Utah should be able to count on great financial flexibility to strengthen in the coming seasons, enough to build a competitive team around Luka potentially.

It remains to convince Cuban to let go and Danny Ainge could count on a hell of a war chest of picks to get there. Thanks to the trades of Donovan Mitchell then Rudy Gobert and the participation in that of Russell Westbrook, Utah can count on… first fifteen draft picks until 2029. When we see the price that Kevin Durant cost (Bridges, Johnson + 4 first rounds + a first round swap), we say to ourselves that we will have to sacrifice a good number of picks to attract Doncic, barely 24 years old and called to become the face of the NBA in the coming years.

It sounds complicated, but at least Utah gives itself the right to dream.