Former Top Five Pick Dubbed as Ideal Top Trade Candidate for Jazz

The Utah Jazz could strike on this young guard in a potential deal.

Apr 6, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons point guard Jaden Ivey (23) dribbles the ball down the lane against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz may have been notably quiet on the trade market without any big moves as of late, but make no mistake that this team still has the potential to make a significant deal happen when considering the stockpile of assets they have on hand.

With multiple first-round picks from themselves, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the future, as well as some appealing talent on the roster, the Jazz sit as a bit of a sleeping giant on the market, and are a key name to watch in any deal for the foreseeable future.

And while much of the focus is on Utah to make a blockbuster deal for an All-Star talent, it could be more feasible to bring in a young, high-ceiling player to develop and make better, more efficient use of their asset pool.

Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz threw out an interesting hypothetical to watch in a potential deal for the Jazz in Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons, their fifth-overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft. Swartz notes that while the Pistons find themselves in a bit of an executive turnover, Utah could capitalize by bringing in the 22-year-old guard.

"A new front office in Detroit could make players like Ivey, drafted by a previous regime, potentially available. Ivey has yet to come close to reaching his sky-high potential with the Pistons, even getting benched temporarily to begin last season. Ivey finished his last six games averaging 18.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and shooting 47.4 percent from three, however, proving that he's capable of more if given the opportunity."

- Greg Swartz, Bleacher Report

An addition of Ivey may not be one to jump off the page, but make no mistake, the Jazz's rebuild could see a welcome lift with his presence. The Purdue product started his rookie campaign by finishing sixth in ROTY voting and went into his sophomore campaign averaging 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists paired alongside Cade Cunningham.

There's talent with Ivey, there's no doubt, but as the Pistons enter a new phase of their rebuild with new voices in the building, the front office may want to take their team construction in a different direction than it went with Troy Weaver calling the shots. If Ivey is one of those names to go, the Jazz could easily find a fit for him in the backcourt.

A change of scenery with a better track record of development could be a huge benefit for Ivey, and could inevitably result in a massive step forward for his progression as a pro-level guard. The shooting saw some struggles last season, as he posted 42.9/33.6/74.9 splits for the year, but with better structure and offensive weapons around him, those could see improvements.

Whether it be next to Keyonte George or Isiah Collier, there's potential to be had there, but it leans upon Detroit's willingness to part ways with their third-year guard. There's a chance we may be one or two years too early on projecting his chance to be available on the market, but if he is, Utah should be calling about him.

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