Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Smart Reason Why Jazz Traded 3 First-Round Picks To Suns For 2031 First-Round Pick
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Utah Jazz News & Analysis > Smart Reason Why Jazz Traded 3 First-Round Picks To Suns For 2031 First-Round Pick

Smart Reason Why Jazz Traded 3 First-Round Picks To Suns For 2031 First-Round Pick

The Utah Jazz acquired one of the most valuable draft picks in the NBA to help the Phoenix Suns further their short-term goals.

Ishaan Bhattacharya
Jan 22, 2025
6 Min Read
Share

Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The NBA trade market saw some big news last night when the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns announced a deal. However, the deal didn’t include any players going from one side to the next but just draft picks. The Suns sent their sole-remaining first-round pick in 2031 to the Jazz for three first-round picks.

Contents
  • The Jazz Consolidate Quantity For Quality
  • The Suns Pushing To Land Jimmy Butler

The picks the Jazz sent have multiple conditions on them which virtually guarantee they’ll convey in the lower end of the first-round. 

The 2025 pick will be the least favorable between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers‘ picks, which virtually guarantees them the Cavs’ pick which will likely convey between 27-30. The 2027 and 2029 picks will be the least favorable of the Cavs, Wolves, and Jazz first-round selections. 

Let’s analyze the fallout of this trade and why the Jazz have potentially hit a home run here.


The Jazz Consolidate Quantity For Quality

The Jazz broke up their team in the summer of 2022 by trading away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert to the Cavaliers and Timberwolves respectively for a return of 10 first-round picks. The trade has paid off in the short-term for both franchises, with the Timberwolves making it to the Conference Finals last season while the Cavaliers are the No. 1 seed in the league right now.

The picks that the Jazz have gotten from both franchises don’t seem to be guaranteed lottery selections. The Cavaliers have a young core that’s extended on long-term contracts, so they should remain contenders for years to come. The Timberwolves have more uncertainty, but the presence of Anthony Edwards promises to keep the team competitive for the next five years.

Unless all three teams are in the Draft lottery in 2027 and 2029, these picks will likely all be conveyed to Phoenix as late first-round picks depending on the success of any one of those teams.

What this trade has allowed the Jazz to do is keep all the upside in their control while removing a lower-value asset. If the Wolves have a disastrous season in 2027, the Jazz are still in the best position to benefit as they control the best pick that year. They’ll send the worst pick between themselves and the Cavs to the Suns while keeping the best in the top end of the lottery.

The Cavs and Wolves have a bright future due to the presence of ascending players. The Suns don’t have any future stars on their roster and are trying to get older by acquiring Jimmy Butler. They’re as all-in as one can be while not controlling any major draft assets for the next seven seasons.

The aging core and lack of future draft assets have allowed the Jazz to determine that the Suns will likely be in a worse position in 2031 than any of the picks they’re sending out. That’s a fantastic assumption and could pay off in a major way, although we have to wait six years to see that happen. Meanwhile, the Suns can get to work now.


The Suns Pushing To Land Jimmy Butler

The rumors of the Suns working with the Miami Heat on a multi-team deal for Jimmy Butler are too substantiated for everyone to write off. The Suns are deliberately making bad long-term views to push themselves into contention right now, so these newly acquired picks will likely be used to incentivize teams to get involved in a deal for Butler which includes Bradley Beal going elsewhere.

The Suns have to dump the remaining $110+ million over three years on Beal’s contract to a team, who will want draft compensation to agree on that. The Heat will not accept Beal’s contract under any circumstance, so it’s being rumored that the Milwaukee Bucks might be getting involved as the team that acquires Beal.

The Bucks can send win-now players to the Heat while potentially getting a draft pick from the Suns. They barely have any future picks themselves, so the value of a pick alongside a scorer like Beal could be a great short-term win-now proposition for them as well.

Breaking up one highly valuable first-round pick into three less-valuable ones gives the Suns a lot of flexibility in their trade dealings. They can send one to the Bucks for accepting Beal while another to the Heat for Butler. They can hold onto the third one for the future or even move that to facilitate a Jusuf Nurkic trade given the dead trade market in the center.

This deal will likely take the Suns in the direction they wanted it to, but the Jazz might be the biggest winners in the long term as the Suns are bound to face years stuck in NBA purgatory as an average franchise without the Draft assets to re-tool.

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Phoenix Suns ArchiveUtah Jazz Archive
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByIshaan Bhattacharya
Follow:
Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
Previous Article Jimmy Butler Fuels Trade Rumors With Suns-Themed Sneakers In Heat-Trail Blazers Game
Next Article NBA Teams Reportedly Don’t Want Jimmy Butler On Suns Because He’d Instantly Make Them A Contender
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Feb 5, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) looks on during the third quarter against the Orlando Magic at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Brooklyn Nets Trade Rumors

NBA Trade Idea: Kings Land Nets Center To Provide Domantas Sabonis With Support In Frontcourt

October 3, 2025
Houston Rockets Trade Rumors

Russell Westbrook Likes Rockets IG Photo With Kevin Durant, Steven Adams; Big Reunion Upcoming?

October 3, 2025
Charlotte Hornets Trade Rumors

Heat Could Acquire LaMelo Ball In Blockbuster Trade Idea To Boost Point Guard Position

October 3, 2025
Mar 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) in action against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers Trade Rumors

NBA Trade Idea: Quentin Grimes To Los Angeles Lakers

October 3, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?