On January 21, 2025, the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz agreed on an intelligent move. The Phoenix Suns traded their unprotected first-round pick in 2031 to the Jazz in exchange for three future first-round picks, namely, a pick in 2025, the least favorable between the Cavaliers and Timberwolves, and in 2027 and 2029, respectively, the least favorable of the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Jazz.
Trade Grades:
Phoenix Suns: The added picks allow the Suns to bolster their capital, hence allowing them to better maneuver trade-wise going forward. This move is critical because it positions Phoenix to mount a foray for disgruntled Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, who is seeking a trade and where the Suns are one of his preferred destinations.
The added draft assets put Phoenix in a stronger bargaining position and could make it easier to acquire Butler and make further roster changes around mainstays Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
Utah Jazz:
Utah is condensing various future first-round picks into a single unprotected selection in 2031 from the Suns, showing long-term strategic thinking.
By focusing on the Suns’ 2031 pick, Utah believes that this pick may hold more value by the time it is used, as Utah believes that the Suns’ performance might decline by then.
This plan fits into the larger view of the Jazz of consolidating their assets for ones that can generate a better return down the road, further reinforced by the fact that any team’s success is unpredictable over a long time. Thereby, this trade appears mutually beneficial Suns gain immediate draft assets and perhaps roster reinforcement, particularly Butler, while Jazz sits on what would appear to be a very likely high-value unprotected pick for the long run.
