Utah has made it clear that they believe last year’s roster was “tapped out from a potential standpoint,” according to GM Justin Zanik.
To achieve their vision – the Larry O’Brien trophy in Salt Lake – a rebuild was necessary. After moving Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, veterans Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, and Jordan Clarkson remain on Utah’s roster.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Jazz and Lakers are currently in ongoing trade talks for the sharp-shooting Bogdanovic.
“Those conversations continue to evolve, we’ve continued to be in touch with them directly and their representation,” Zanik said, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “Obviously, there’s been a lot of change this summer, so it’s natural for us to have those conversations.”
The 6’7″ forward averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and shot 38.7 percent from beyond the arc. In addition to the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks have expressed interest in Bogdanovic. If Bogdanovic is moved to the Lakers, it will be the second trade of the season between LA and Salt Lake. Earlier this summer, Utah gave up Patrick Beverley for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
As the Jazz continue to prioritize and acquire young talent, it is no surprise that they have made Bogdanovic and their remaining vets available.
“We wanted to give the organization every opportunity to build the greatest base of flexibility, young players, and assets going forward to make really good decisions so that we could reach the ceiling that we want to get to,” Zanik said.
The new-look Jazz begins their 2022-23 season on Oct. 19 against the Denver Nuggets.
