Utah Jazz GM Justin Zanik appeared on the team’s broadcast during their loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. One of the subjects Zanik talked about was the recent draft-pick trade between the Jazz and the Phoenix Suns.
Zanik explained that Utah wanted to add potential premium pick to their stash. That’s what drove trading three first-round picks with least-favorable conditions for one unprotected pick.
“The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Zanik said. “It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”
Utah traded the least favorable first-round pick of their own, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves in 2025, 2027 and 2029. The Jazz acquired the Suns unprotected first-round pick in 2031.
